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SAM STEELE’S 
ADVENTURES 


On Land 

and Sea 


By 

CAPT. HUGH FITZGERALD 



CHICAGO 

THE REILLY & BRITTON CO. 
PUBLISHERS 




LIBRARY of CONGRESS 
Two Copies Received 

0C1 15 1906 





Copyright, 1906 , 

BY 

THE REILLY & BRITTON CO. 






LIST OF CHAPTERS 


CHAPTIR PAGE 

I I Hear Bad News. 9 

II I Find a Relative - - -. 24 

III My Fortunes Improve ------ 40 

IV I Ship Aboard the “ Flipper ” - - - 54 

V “Nux” and “Bryonia”. 66 

VI The Land of Mystery. 83 

yil The Major ----------- 91 

yill The Sands of Gold.110 

IX The Outlaws.124 

X The Rocking Stone.137 

XI The Cavern.153 

XII We Recover the Gold .169 

XIII The Catastrophe.184 

Xiy Buried Alive !.193 

xy The Major Gives Chase.206 

xyi The Grave Captain Gay.219 

xyil We Give up the Ship.235 

xyill Uncle Naboth’s Revenge.247 

XIX The Conquest of Mrs. Ranck - - - 257 

XX Steele, Perkins & Steele.270 























LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS 


FROM ORIGINAL PAINTINGS BY 

HOWARD HEATH 

/ 

“Now, my lad, Keep Q&iet an’ You Wont 

GET Hurt ”. Frontispiece 

Captured by the Gold-Hunters.97 

A Hazardous Climb .177 _ 

“ Leave This Koom, Sir ! ”.231 

« Here’s the Treasure House, Sir ! ” .... 265 
























CHAPTER I. 


I HEAR BAD NEWS. 

“Sam—come here!” 

It was Mrs. Ranck’s voice, and sounded more 
bitter and stringent than usual. 

I can easily recall the little room in which I 
sat, poring over my next day’s lessons. It was 
in one end of the attic of our modest cottage, and 
the only room “done off” upstairs. The sloping 
side walls, that followed the lines of the roof, 
were bare except for the numerous pictures of 
yachts and other sailing craft with which I had 
plastered them from time to time. There was a 
bed at one side and a small deal table at the other, 
and over the little window was a shelf whereon 
I kept my meager collection of books. 

“Sam! Are you coming, or not?” 

With a sigh I laid down my book, opened the 
door, and descended the steep uncarpeted stairs 
to the lower room. This was Mrs. Ranck’s liv- 
9 



Sam Steele’s Adventures 


ing-room, where she cooked our meals, laid the 
table, and sat in her high-backed wooden rocker 
to darn and mend. It was a big, square room, 
which took up most of the space in the lower part 
of the house, leaving only a place for a small 
store-room at one end and the Captain’s room at 
the other. At one side was the low, broad porch, 
with a door and two windows opening onto it, 
and at the other side, which was properly the back 
of the cottage, a small wing had been built which 
w'as occupied by the housekeeper as her sleeping 
chamber. 

As I entered the living-room in response to 
Mrs. Ranck’s summons I was surprised to find a 
stranger there, seated stiffly upon the edge of one 
of the straight chairs and holding his hat in his 
lap, where he grasped it tightly with two big, 
red fists, as if afraid that it would get away. He 
wore an old flannel shirt, open at the neck, and 
a weather-beaten pea-jacket, and aside from these 
trade-marks of his profession it was easy enough 
to determine from his air and manner that he was 
a sea-faring man. 

There was nothing remarkable about that, 


io 


I Hear Bad News 


for every one in our little sea-coast village of 
Batteraft got a living from old ocean, in one way 
or another; but what startled me was to find Mrs. 
Ranck confronting the sailor with a white face 
and a look of mingled terror and anxiety in her 
small gray eyes. 

“What is it, Aunt?” I asked, a sudden fear 
striking to my heart as I looked from one to the 
other in my perplexity. 

The woman did not reply, at first, but con¬ 
tinued to stare wildly at the bowed head of the 
sailor—bowed because he was embarrassed and 
ill at ease. But when he chanced to raise a 
rather appealing pair of eyes to her face she 
nodded, and said briefly: 

“Tell him.” 

“Yes, marm,” answered the man; but he 
shifted uneasily in his seat, and seemed disinclined 
to proceed further. 

A1P this began to make me very nervous. 
Perhaps the man was a messenger—a bearer of 
news. And if so his tale must have an evil com¬ 
plexion, to judge by his manner and Mrs. Ranck's 
stern face. I felt like shrinking back, like run- 


II 


Sam Steele’s Adventures 


ning away from some calamity that was about 
to overtake me. But I did not run. Boy though 
I was, and very inexperienced in the ways of 
life, with its troubles and tribulations, I knew 
that I must stay and hear all; and I braced myself 
for the ordeal. 

“Tell me, please/’ I said, and my voice was 
so husky and low that I could scarce hear it my¬ 
self. “Tell me; is— is it about— my father?” 

The man nodded. 

“It’s about the Cap’n,” he said, looking 
stolidly into Mrs. Ranck’s cold features, as if 
striving to find in them some assistance. “I was 
one as sailed with him las’ May aboard the 
‘Saracen/ ” 

“Then why are you here?” I cried, desper¬ 
ately, although even as I spoke there flashed 
across my mind a first realization of the horror 
the answer was bound to convey. 

“ ’Cause the‘Saracen’foundered off Lucayas,” 
said the sailor, with blunt deliberation, “an’ went 
to the bottom, ‘th all hands—all but me, 
that is. I caught a spar an’ floated three days 
an* four nights, makin’ at last Andros Isle t where 


12 


I Hear Bad News 


a fisherman pulled me ashore more dead’n alive. 
That’s nigh three months agone, sir. I’ve had 
fever sence—brain fever, they called it—so I 
couldn’t bring the news afore.” 

I felt my body swaying slightly, and won¬ 
dered if it would fall. Then I caught at a ray 
pf hope. 

“But my father, Captain Steele? Perhaps he, 
also, floated ashore!” I gasped. 

The sailor shook his head, regretfully. 

“None but me was saved alive, sir,” he an¬ 
swered, in a solemn voice. “The tide cast up a 
many o’ the 'Saracen’ corpses, while I lay in the 
fever; an’ the fisher folks give ’em a decent burial. 
But they saved the trinkets as was found on the 
dead men, an’ among ’em was Cap’n Steele’s 
watch an’ ring. I kep’ ’em to bring to you. Here 
they be,” he continued, simply, as he rose from his 
chair to place a small chamois bag reverently 
upon the table. 

Mrs. Ranck pounced upon it and with tremb¬ 
ling fingers untied the string. Then she drew 
forth my father’s well-known round silver watch 
13 


Sam Steele’s Adventures 


and the carbuncle ring he had worn upon his lit¬ 
tle finger ever since I could remember. 

For a time no one spoke. I stared stupidly 
at the sailor, noticing that the buttons on his pea- 
jacket did not match and wondering if he always 
sewed them on himself. Mrs. Ranck had fallen 
back into her tall rocking-chair, where she 
gyrated nervously back and forth, the left rocker 
creaking as if it needed greasing. Why was 
it that I could not burst into a flood of tears, 
or wail, or shriek, or do anything to prove that 
I realized myself suddenly bereft of the only 
friend I had in all the world ? There was an iron 
band around my forehead, and another around 
my chest. My brain was throbbing under one, 
and my heart trying desperately to beat under the 
other. Yet outwardly I must have appeared 
calm enough, and the fact filled me with shame 
and disgust. 

An orphan, now, and alone in the world. 
This father whom the angry seas had engulfed 
was the only relative I had known since my sweet 
little mother wearied of the world and sought 
refuge in Heaven, years and years ago. And 
14 


I Hear Bad News 


while father sailed away on his stout ship the 
“Saracen” I was left to the care of the hard work¬ 
ing but crabbed and cross old woman whom I 
had come to call, through courtesy and conven¬ 
ience, “Aunt,” although she was no relation 
whatever to me. Now I was alone in the world. 
Father, bluff and rugged, so strong and re¬ 
sourceful that I had seldom entertained a fear for 
his safety, was lying dead in the far away island 
of Andros, and his boy must hereafter learn to 
live without him. 

The sailor, obviously uneasy at the effect of 
his ill tidings, now rose to go; but at his motion 
Mrs. Ranck seemed suddenly to recover the use 
of her tongue, and sternly bade him resume his 
seat. Then she plied him with questions con¬ 
cerning the storm and the catastrophy that fol¬ 
lowed it, and the man answered to the best of his 
ability. 

Captain Steele was universally acknowledged 
one of the best and most successful seamen Bat- 
teraft had ever known. Through many years of 
trading in foreign parts he had not only become 
sole owner of the “Saracen,” but had amassed a 

*5 


Sam Steele’s Adventures 


fortune which, it was freely stated in the town, 
was enough to satisfy the desires of any man. 
But this was merely guess-work on the part of his 
neighbors, for when ashore the old sailor confided 
'his affairs to no one, unless it might have been to 
Mrs. Ranck. For the housekeeper was a different 
person when the Captain was ashore, recounting 
her own virtues so persistently, and seeming so so¬ 
licitous for my comfort, that poor father stood 
somewhat in awe of her exceptional nobility of 
character. As soon as he had sailed she dropped 
the mask, and was often unkind; but I never 
minded this enough to worry him with com¬ 
plaints, so he was unconscious of her true na¬ 
ture. 

Indeed, my dear father had been so seldom at 
home that I dreaded to cause him one moment’s 
uneasiness. He was a reserved man, too, as is 
the case with so many sailors, and since the death 
of his dearly loved wife had passed but little of 
his time ashore. I am sure he loved me, for he 
always treated me with a rare tenderness; but he 
never would listen to my entreaties to sail with 
him. 


16 


I Hear Bad News 


“The sea’s no place for a lad that has a com¬ 
fortable home,” he used to reply, in his slow, 
thoughtful way. “Keep to your studies, Sam, 
my boy, and you’ll be a bigger man some day 
than any seaman of us all.” 

The Captain’s brief visits home were the only 
bright spots in my existence, and because I had 
no one else to love I lavished upon my one par¬ 
ent all the affection of which I was capable. 
Therefore my present sudden bereavement was 
so colossal and far reaching in its effects upon 
my young life that it is no wonder the news stag¬ 
gered me and curiously dulled my senses. 

Almost as if in a dream I heard Mrs. Ranch’s 
fierce questions and the sailor’s reluctant an¬ 
swers. And when he had told everything that he 
knew about the matter he got upon his feet and 
took my hands gently in both his big, calloused 
ones. 

“I’m right sorry, lad, as ye’ve had this blow,” 
he muttered, feelingly. “The Cap’n were a good 
man an’ a kind master, an’ many’s a time I’ve 
heard him tell of his boy Sam. I s’pose he’s left 
ye provided with plenty o’ this world’s goods, for 
1 7 


Sam Steele’s Adventures 


hie were a thrifty man and mostly in luck. But if 
ye ever run aground, lad, or find ye need a friend 
to cast a bowline, don’t ye forget that Ned Brit¬ 
ton ’ll stand by ye through thick an’ thin!” 

With this he wrung my hands until I winced 
under the pressure, and then he nodded briefly to 
Mrs. Ranck and hurried from the room. 

The twilight had faded during the interview, 
and the housekeeper had lit a tallow candle. As 
Ned Britton’s footsteps died away the woman 
bent forward to snuff the wick, and I noted a 
grim and determined look upon her features that 
was new to them. But her hands trembled some¬ 
what, in spite of her assumed calmness, and the 
fact gave me a certain satisfaction. Her loss 
could not be compared with mine, but the Cap¬ 
tain’s death was sure to bring about a change in 
her fortunes, as well as my own. 

She resumed her regular rocking back and 
forth, riveting her eyes the while upon my face. 
I did not sit, but leaned against the table, trying 
hard to think. And thus for a long time we re¬ 
garded each other in silence. 

Finally she cried out, sharply: 

18 


I Hear Bad News 


“Well, what are you a-goin’ to do now?” 

“In what way?” I asked, drearily. 

“In every way. How are you goin’ to live, 
fer one thing ?” 

“Why, much the same as I am doing now, 
I suppose,” said I, trying to rouse myself to at¬ 
tend to what she was saying. “Father owned 
this house, which is now mine; and I’m sure 
there is considerable property besides, although 
the ship is lost.” 

“Fiddlesticks!” exclaimed Mrs. Ranck, 
scornfully. 

I wondered what she meant by that, and 
looked my question. 

“Your father didn’t own a stick o’ this house,” 
she cried, in a tone that was almost a scream. 
“It’s mine, an’ the deed’s in my own name!” 

“I know,” I replied, “but father has often ex¬ 
plained that you merely held the deed in trust for 
me, until I became of age. He turned it over to 
you as a protection to me in case some accident 
should happen to him. Many times he has told 
me that this plan insured my having a home, no 
matter what happened.” 


19 


Sam Steele’s Adventures 


“I guess you didn’t understand him,” she an¬ 
swered, an evil flash in her eye. “The facts is, 
this house were put into my name because the 
Cap’n owed me money.” 

“What for?” I asked. 

“I’ve kep’ ye in food an’ clothes ever sence 
ye was a baby. Do ye s’pose that don’t cost 
money ?” 

I stared at her bewildered. 

“Didn’t father furnish the money?” 

“Not a cent. He jest let it run on, as he did 
my wages. An’ it counts up big, that a-way.” 

“Then the house isn’t mine, after all?” 

, “Not an inch of it. Not a stick ner a stone.” 

I tried to think what this would mean to me, 
and what reason the woman could have for 
claiming a right to my inheritance. 

“Once,” said I, musingly, “father told me 
how he had brought you here to save you from 
the poor-house, or starvation. He was sorry for 
you, and gave you a home. That was while 
mother was living. Afterwards, he said, he 
trusted to your gratitude to take good care of 


20 


I Hear Bad News 

me, and to stand my friend in place of my dead 
mother.” 

“Fiddlesticks!” she snapped, again. It was 
the word she usually used to express contempt, 
and it sounded very disagreeable coming from 
her Hps. 

“The Cap’n must V been a-dreamin’ when 
he told you that stuff an’ nonsense,” she went on. 
“I’ve treated ye like my own son; there’s no mis¬ 
take about that. But I did it for wages, accord¬ 
in’ to agreement atween me an’ the Cap’n. An’ 
the wages wasn’t never paid. When they got 
to be a big lump, he put the house in my name, 
to secure me. An’ it’s mine—ev’ry stick of it!” 

My head was aching, and I had to press my 
hand to it to ease the pain. In the light of the 
one flickering candle Mrs. Ranck’s hard face as¬ 
sumed the expression of a triumphant demon, 
and I drew back from it, shocked and repelled. 

“If what you say is true,” I said, listlessly, 
“I would rather you take the old home to wipe 
out the debt Yet father surely told me it was 
mine, and it isn’t like him to deceive me, or to 


21 


Sam Steele’s Adventures 


owe any one money. However, take it, Aunt, if 
you like.” 

“I’ve got it,” she answered; “an’ I mean to 
keep it.” 

“I shall get along very well,” said I, think¬ 
ing, indeed, that nothing mattered much, now 
father was gone. 

“How will you live?” she enquired. 

“Why, there’s plenty besides the house,” I 
replied. “In father’s room,” and I nodded my 
head toward the door that was always kept locked 
in the Captain’s absence, “there must be a great 
many valuable things stored. The very last time 
he was home he said that in case anything ever 
happened to him I would find a little fortune in 
his old sea-chest, alone.” 

“May be,” rejoined the old woman, uneasily. 
“I hope that story o’ his’n, at least, is true, for 
your sake, Sam. I hain’t anything agin you; 
but right is right. An’ the house don’t cover all 
that’s cornin’ to me, either. The Cap’n owed me 
four hundred dollars, besides the house, for your 
keep durin’ all these years; an’ that’ll have to be 


22 


I Hear Bad News 


paid afore you can honestly lay claim to a cent 
o’ his property.” 

“Of course,” I agreed, meekly enough, for all 
this talk of money wearied me. “But there 
should be much more than that in the chest, 
alone, according to what father said.” 

“Let’s hope there is,” said she. “You go to 
bed, now, for you’re clean done up, an’ no won¬ 
der. In the mornin’ we’ll both look into the 
Cap’n’s room, an’ see what’s there. I ain’t a-goin’ 
to take no mean advantage o’ you, Sam, you can 
depend on’t. So go to bed. Sleep’s the best 
cure-all fer troubles like yours.” 

This last was said in a more kindly tone, 
and I was glad to take her at her word and creep 
away to my little room in the attic. 


^3 


CHAPTER II. 


I FIND A RELATIVE. 

It may have been hours that I sat at my little 
table, overcome by the bitterness of my loss. 
And for more hours I tossed restlessly upon my 
hard bed, striving in vain for comfort. But sud¬ 
denly, as I recalled a little affectionate gesture 
of my father's, I burst into a flood of tears, and 
oh, what a relief it was to be able to cry—to sob 
away the load that had well-nigh overburdened 
my young heart! 

After that last paroxysm of grief I fell asleep, 
worn out by my own emotions, and it was long 
past my usual hour for rising that I finally awoke. 

In a moment, as I lay staring at the bright 
morning sunshine, the sorrow that had been for¬ 
gotten in sleep swept over me like a flood, and I 
wept again at the thought of my utter loneliness 
and the dreadful fate that had overtaken my dear 
father. But presently, with the elasticity of 

24 



I Find a Relative 


youth, I was enabled to control myself, and turn 
my thoughts toward the future. Then I remem¬ 
bered that Mrs. Ranck and I were to enter the 
Captain’s locked room, and take an inventory of 
his possessions, and I began hurriedly to dress 
myself, that this sad duty might be accomplished 
as soon as possible. The recollection of the 
woman’s preposterous claims moved me to sullen 
anger. It seemed like a reflection on father’s 
honesty to claim that he had been in her debt all 
these years, and I resolved that she should be 
paid every penny she demanded, that the Cap¬ 
tain’s honor might remain untarnished in death, 
even as it had ever been during his lifetime. 

As soon as I was ready I descended the stairs 
to the living room, where Mrs. Ranck sat rock¬ 
ing in her chair, just as I had left her the night 
before. She was always an early riser, and I no¬ 
ticed that she had eaten her own breakfast and 
left a piece of bacon and corn-bread for me upon 
the hearth. 

She made no reply to my “good morning, 
Aunt,” so I took the plate from the hearth and 
ate my breakfast in silence. I was not at all 

25 


Sam Steele’s, Adventures 

hungry; but I was young, and felt the need of 
food. Not until I had finished did Mrs. Ranck 
speak. 

“We may as well look into the Cap’n’s room, 
an’ get it done with,” she said. “It’s only 
nat’ral as I should want to know if I’m goin’ to 
get the money back I’ve spent on your keepin’.” 

“Very well,” said I. 

She went to a drawer of a tall bureau and 
drew out a small ivory box. Within this I knew 
were the keys belonging to my father. Never 
before had Mrs. Ranck dared to meddle with 
them, for the Captain had always forbidden her 
and everyone else to enter his room during his 
absence. Even now, when he was dead, it seemed 
like disobedience of his wishes for the woman to 
seize the keys and march over to the door of the 
sacred room. In a moment she had turned the 
lock and thrown open the door. v 

Shy and half startled at our presumption, I 
approached and peered over her shoulder. Occa¬ 
sionally, indeed, I had had a glimpse of the in¬ 
terior of this little place, half chamber and half 
office; and, once or twice, when a little child, I 
26 


I Find. ji,'Relative 

had entered it to seek my father. Now, as I 
glanced within, it seemed to be in perfect 
order; but it struck me as more bare and unfur¬ 
nished than I had ever seen it before. Father 
must have secretly removed many of the boxes 
that used to line the walls, for they were all gone 
except his big sea-chest. 

The sight of the chest, however, reassured 
me, for it was in this that he had told me to look 
for my fortune, in case anything should happen 
to him. 

The old woman at once walked over to the 
chest, and taking a smaller key from the ivory 
box, fitted it to the lock and threw back the lid 
with a bang. 

“There’s your fortune!” she said, with a 
sneer; “see if you can find it.” 

I bent over the chest, gazing eagerly into its 
depths. There was an old Bible in one end, and 
a broken compass in the other. But that was all. 

Standing at one side, the woman looked into 
my astonished face and laughed mockingly. 

“This was another o’ the Cap’n’s lies,” she 
said. “He lied to you about ownin’ the house; 
27 


Sam Steele’s Adventures 


he lied to you about talon’ me out o’ charity; an’ 
he lied to you about the fortune in this chest. An 
easy liar was Cap’n Steele, I must say!” 

I shrank back, looking into her exultant eyes 
with horror in my own. 

“How dare you say such things about my 
father?” I cried, in anger. 

“How dare I?” she retorted; “why, because 
they’re true, as you can see for yourself. Your 
father’s deceived you, an’ he’s deceived me. I’ve 
paid out over four hundred dollars for your keep, 
thinkin’ there was enough in this room to pay 
me back. An’ now I stand to lose every penny 
of it, jest because I trusted to a lyin’ sea-cap¬ 
tain.” 

“You won’t lose a dollar!” I cried, indig¬ 
nantly, while I struggled to keep back the tears of 
disappointment and shame that rushed to my 
eyes. “I’ll pay you every cent of the money, if 
I live.” 

She looked at me curiously, with a half smile 
upon her thin lips. 

“How?” she asked. 

“I’ll work and earn it.” 

28 


I Find a Relative 


“Pish! what can a boy like you earn? An’ 
what’s goin’ to happen while you’re earnin’ it? 
One thing’s certain, Sam Steele; you can’t stay 
here an’ live off’n a poor lone woman that’s lost 
four hundred dollars by you already. You’ll 
have to find another place.” 

“I’ll do that,” I said, promptly. 

“You can have three days to git out,” she 
continued, pushing me out of the room and re¬ 
locking the door, although there was little rea¬ 
son for that. “And you can take whatever 
clothes you’ve got along with you. Nobody can 
say that Jane Ranck ain’t acted like a Christian 
to ye, even if she’s beat an’ defrauded out’n her 
just rights. But if ye should happen to earn any 
money, Sam, I hope you’ll remember what ye 
owe me.” 

“I will,” said I, coldly; and I meant it. 

To my surprise Mrs. Ranck gave a strange 
chuckle, which was doubtless meant for a laugh 
—the first I had ever known her to indulge in. It 
fired my indignation to such a point that I cried 
out: “Shame!” and seizing my cap I rushed 
from the house. 


29 


Sam Steele’s Adventures 


The cottage was built upon a small hill facing 
the bay, and was fully a quarter of a mile distant 
from the edge of the village of Batteraft. From 
our gate the path led down hill through a little 
group of trees and then split in twain, one branch 
running down to the beach, where the shipping- 
lay, and the other crossing the meadows to the 
village. Among the trees my father had built 
a board bench, overlooking the bay, and here I 
have known him to sit for hours, enjoying the 
beauty of the view, while the leafy trees overhead 
shaded him from the hot sun. 

It was toward this bench, a favorite resort of 
mine because my father loved it, that I directed 
my steps on leaving Mrs. Ranck. At the moment 
I was dazed by the amazing discovery of my im¬ 
poverished condition, and this, following so sud¬ 
denly upon the loss of my father, nearly over¬ 
whelmed me with despair. But I knew that 
prompt action on my part was necessary, for the 
woman had only given me three days grace, and 
my pride would not suffer me to remain that long 
in a home where my presence was declared a bur- 
30 


I Find a Relative 


den. So I would sit beneath the trees and try to 
decide where to go and what to do. 

But as I approached the place I found, to my 
astonishment, that a man was already seated 
upon the bench. He was doubtless a stranger in 
Batteraft, for I had never seen him before, so that 
I moderated my pace and approached him slowly, 
thinking he might discover he was on private 
grounds and take his leave. 

He paid no attention to me, being engaged in 
whittling a stick with a big jack-knife. In ap¬ 
pearance he was short, thick-set, and of middle 
age. His round face was lined in every direction 
by deep wrinkles, and the scant hair that showed 
upon his temples was thin and grey. He wore 
a blue flannel shirt, with a black kerchief knotted 
at the throat; but, aside from this, his dress was 
that of an ordinary civilian; so that at first I was 
unable to decide whether he was a sailor or a 
landsman. 

The chief attraction in the stranger was the 
expression of his face, which was remarkably 
humorous. Although I was close by him, now, 
he paid no attention to my presence, but as he 
3i 


Sam Steele’s Adventures 

whittled away industriously he gave vent to sev¬ 
eral half audible chuckles that seemed to indicate 
that his thoughts were very amusing. 

I was about to pass him and go down to the 
beach, where I might find a solitary spot for my 
musings, when the man turned his eyes up to 
mine and gave a wink that seemed both myster¬ 
ious and confidential. 

“It’s Sam, ain’t it?” he asked, with another 
silent chuckle. 

“Yes, sir,” I replied, resenting his familiarity 
while I wondered how he should know me. 

“Cap’n Steele’s son, I’m guessin’?” he con¬ 
tinued. 

“The same, sir,” and I made a movement to 
pass on. 

“Sit down, Sam; there’s no hurry,” and he 
pointed to the bench beside him. 

I obeyed, wondering what he could want with 
me. Half turning toward me, he gave another 
of those curious winks and then suddenly turned 
grave and resumed his whittling. 

“May I ask who you are, sir ?” I enquired. 

“No harm in that,” he replied, with a smile 
32 


I Find a Relative 


that lighted his wrinkled face most comically. 
“No harm in the world. I’m Naboth Perkins.” 

“Oh,” said I, without much interest. 

“Never heard that name before, I take it?” 

“No, sir.” 

“Do you remember your mother?” 

“Not very well, sir,” I answered, wondering 
more and more. “I was little more than a baby 
when she died, you know.” 

“I know,” and he nodded, and gave an odd 
sort of grunt. “Did you ever hear what her name 
was, afore she married the Cap’n?” 

“Oh, yes!” I cried, suddenly enlightened. “It 
was Mary Perkins.” 

Then, my heart fluttering wildly, I turned an 
intent and appealing gaze upon the little man 
beside me. 

Naboth Perkins was seized with another of 
those queer fits of silent merriment, and his 
shoulders bobbed up and down until a cough 
caught him, and for a time I feared he w r ould 
choke to death before he could control the con¬ 
vulsions. But at last he recovered and wiped the 
33 


Sam Steele’s Adventures 


tears from his eyes with a brilliant red hand¬ 
kerchief. 

“I’m your uncle, lad,” he said, as soon as he 
could speak. 

This was news, indeed, but news that puzzled 
me exceedingly. 

“Why have I never heard of you before?” I 
asked, soberly. 

“Haven't ye?” he returned, with evident sur¬ 
prise. 

“Never.” 

He looked the stick over carefully, and cut 
another notch in it. 

“Well, for one thing,” he remarked, “I’ve 

never been in these parts afore sence the day I 

was born. Fer another thing, it stands to reason 

you was too young to remember, even if Mary 

had talked to ye about her only brother afore she 

« 

died an' quit this ’ere sublunatic spear. An’, fer a 
third an’ last reason, Cap’n Steele were a man 
that had little to say about most things, so it’s 
fair to s’pose he had less to say about his rela¬ 
tions. Eh ?” 

“Perhaps it is as you say, sir.” 

34 


I Find a Relative 


“Quite likely. Yet it’s mighty funny the 
Cap’n never let drop a word about me, good or 
bad.” 

“Were you my father's friend?” I asked, 
anxiously. 

“That’s as may be,” said Mr. Perkins, evasive¬ 
ly. “Friends is all kinds, from acquaintances to 
lovers. But the Cap’n an me wasn’t enemies, by 
a long shot, an’ I’ve been his partner these ten 
year back.” 

“His partner!” I echoed, astonished. 

The little man nodded. 

“His partner,” he repeated, with much com¬ 
placency. “But our dealin’s together was all on 
a strict business basis. We didn’t hobnob, ner 
gossip, ner slap each other on the back. So as 
fer saying we was exactly frends—w’y, I can’t 
honestly do it, Sam.” 

“I understand,” said I, accepting his explana¬ 
tion in good faith. 

“I came here at this time,” continued Mr. Per¬ 
kins, addressing his speech to the jack-knife, 
which he held upon the palm of his hand, “to 
see Cap’n Steele on an important business matter. 
35 


Sam Steele’s Adventures 


He had agreed to meet me. But I saw Ned 
Britton at the tavern, las’ night, an’ heerd fer the 
first time that the ‘Saracen’ had gone to Davy 
Jones an’ took the Cap’n with her. So I come 
up here to have a little talk with you, which is his 
son and my own nevvy.” 

“Why didn’t you come up to the house?” I 
enquired. 

Mr. Perkins turned upon me his peculiar wink, 
and his shoulders began to shake again, till I 
feared more convulsions. But he suddenly 
stopped short, and with abrupt gravity nodded 
his head at me several times. 

“The woman!” he said, in a low voice. “I 
jest can’t abide women. ‘Specially when they’s 
old an’ given to argument, as Ned Britton says 
this one is.” 

I sympathized with him, and said so. Where¬ 
at my uncle gave me a look gentle and kindly, 
and said in a friendly tone: 

“Sam, my boy, I want to tell you all about 
myself, that’s your blood uncle an’ no mistake; 
but first I want you to tell me all about yourself. 
You’re an orphan, now, an’ my dead sister’s 
36 


I Find a Relative 


child, an’ I take it Fm the only real friend you’ve 
got in the world. So now, fire away!” 

There was something about the personality of 
Naboth Perkins that invited confidence; or per¬ 
haps it was my loneliness and need of a friend 
that led me to accept this astonishing uncle in 
good faith. Anyway, I did not hesitate to tell him 
my whole story, including my recent grief at the 
news of my dear father’s death and the startling 
discovery I had just made that I was penniless 
and in debt for my living to Mrs. Ranck. 

“Father has often told me,” I concluded, “that 
the house was mine, and had been put in Mrs. 
Ranck’s name because he felt she was honest, and 
would guard my interests in his absence. And 
he told me there was a store of valuable articles 
in his room, which he had been accumulating for 
years, and that the old sea-chest alone contained 
enough to make me independent. But when we 
examined the room this morning everything was 
gone, and the chest was empty. I don’t know 
what to think about it, Fm sure; for father never 
lied, in spite of what Mrs. Ranck says.” 

Uncle Naboth whistled a sailor’s hornpipe in 

37 


Sam Steele’s Adventures 


a slow, jerky, and altogether dismal fashion. 
When it was quite finished, even to the last quav¬ 
ering bar, he said: 

“Sam, who kept the keys to the room, an* the 
chest ?” 

“Mrs. Ranck.” 

“M—m. Was the room dark, an’ all covered 
over with .dust, when you went in there this 
mornin’ ?” 

“I-I don’t think it was,” I answered, try¬ 

ing to recollect. “No! I remember, now. The 
blind was wide open, and the room looked clean 
and in good order.” 

“Sailors,” remarked Mr. Perkins, impressive¬ 
ly, “never is known to keep their rooms in good 
order. The Cap’n been gone five months an’ 
more. If all was straight the dust would be thick 
on everything.” 

“To be sure,” said I, very gravely. 

“Then, Sam, it stands to reason the oP woman 
went inter the room while you was asleep, an’ 
took out everything she could lay her hands on. 
Cap’n Steele didn’t lie to you, my boy. But he 
made the mistake of thinkin’ the woman honest. 

38 



I Find a Relative 


She took advantage of the fact that the Cap’ll 
was dead, an’ couldn’t prove nothin’. And so 
she robbed you.” 

The suspicion had crossed my mind before, 
and I was not greatly surprised to hear my uncle 
voice it 

“Then, can’t we make her give it up?” I asked. 
“If she has done such a wicked thing, it seems as 
though we ought to accuse her of it, and make 
her give me all that belongs to me.” 

Uncle Naboth rose slowly from the bench, 
settled his felt hat firmly upon his head, pulled 
down his checkered vest, and assumed a most 
determined bearing. 

“You wait here,” he said, “an’ I’ll beard the 
she-tiger in her den, an’ see what can be done.” 

Then he gave a great sigh, and turning square 
around, marched stiffly up the path that led to the 
house. 


39 


CHAPTER III. 


MY FORTUNES IMPROVE. 

I awaited with as much patience as I could 
muster the result of the venture. I was proud of 
Uncle Naboth’s bravery, and hoped he would be 
successful. Surely the brief interview with my 
newly acquired relative had caused a great change 
in my future prospects, for it was not likely that 
my mother’s brother would desert me in my ex¬ 
tremity. I had left the house that was now no 
longer my home without a single friend to whom 
I could turn, and behold, here was a champion 
waiting to espouse my cause! Mr. Perkins was 
somewhat peculiar in his actions, it is true, but 
he was my uncle and my dead father’s partner, 
and already I was beginning to have faith in 
him. 

It was a full half hour before I saw him com¬ 
ing back along the path; but now he no longer 
strutted with proud determination. Instead, his 
40 



My Fortunes Improve 

whole stout little body drooped despondently; his 
hat was thrust back from his forehead, and upon 
his deeply wrinkled face stood big drops of per¬ 
spiration. 

“Sam,” said he, standing before me with a 
rather sheepish air, “I were wrong, an' I beg 
your pardon. That woman ain’t no she-tiger. I 
mis-stated the case. She’s a she-devil 1” 

The words were laden with disgust and indig¬ 
nation. Uncle Naboth drew out his gorgeous 
handkerchief and wiped his face with it. Then 
he dropped upon the bench and pushed his big 
hands deep into his capacious pockets, with the 
air of a man crushed and defeated. 

I sighed. 

“Then she refused to give up the property?” 

“Give up? She’d die first. Why, Sam, the 
critter tried to brain me with a gridiron! Almost, 
my boy, you was an orphan agin. He who fights 
an’ runs away may n’t get much credit for it, but 
he’s a dumed sight safer ner a dead man. The 
Perkinses was alius a reckless crew; but sooner ’n 
face that female agin I’d tackle a mad bull!” 

“Won’t the law help us?” I asked. 

4i 


Sam Steele’s Adventures 


“The law!” cried Mr. Perkins, in a voice of 
intense horror. “W’y, Sam, the law’s more to 
be dreaded than a woman. It’s an invention of 
the devil to keep poor mortals from becomin’ 
too happy in this ’ere vale o’ tears. My boy, if 
ye ever has to choose between the law an’ a wo¬ 
man, my advice is to commit suicide at once. It’s 
quicker an’ less painful.” 

“But the law stands for justice,” I protested. 

“That’s the bluff it puts up,” said Uncle Na¬ 
both, “but it ain’t so. An’ where’s your proof 
agin Mrs. Ranck, anyhow? Cap’n Steele fool¬ 
ishly put the house in her name. If she ain’t 
honest enough to give it up, no one can take it 
from her. An’ he kep’ secret about the fortune 
that was left in his room, so we can’t describe 
the things you’ve been robbed of. Altogether, 
it’s jest a hopeless case. The she-devil has made 
up her mind to inherit your fortune, an’ you can’t 
help yourself.” 

As I stared into the little man’s face the 
tears came into my eyes and blurred my sight. 
He thrust the red handkerchief into my hand, and 
I quickly wiped away the traces of unmanly weak- 
42 


My Fortunes Improve 

ness. And when I could see plainly again my 
uncle was deeply involved in one of his fits of 
silent merriment, and his shoulders were shaking 
spasmodically. I waited for him to cough and 
choke, which he proceeded to do before regaining 
his gravity. The attack seemed to have done him 
good, for he smiled at my disturbed expression 
and laid a kindly hand on my shoulder. 

“Run up to the house, my lad, an' get your 
bundle of clothes,” he said. ‘Til be here when 
you get back. Don’t worry over what’s gone. 
I’ll take care o’ you, hereafter.” 

I gave him a grateful glance and clasped his 
big, homy hands in both my own. 

“Thank you, uncle,” said I; “I don’t know 
what would have become of me if you had not 
turned up just as you did.” 

“Lucky; wasn’t it, Sam ? But run along and 
get your traps.” 

I obeyed, walking slowly and thoughtfully 
back to the house. When I tried to raise the 
latch I found the door locked. 

“Mrs. Ranck!” I called. “Mrs. Ranck, let me 
in, please. I’ve come for my clothes.” 

43 


Sam Steele’s Adventures 


There was no answer. I rattled the latch, 
but all in vain. So I sat down upon the steps of 
the porch, wondering what 1 should do. It was 
a strange and unpleasant sensation, to find my¬ 
self suddenly barred from the house in which I 
had been born and wherein I had lived all my 
boyhood days. It was only my indignation 
against this selfish and hard old woman that pre¬ 
vented me from bursting into another flood of 
tears, for my nerves were all unstrung by the 
events of the past few hours. However, anger 
held all other passion in check for the moment, 
and I was about to force an entrance through the 
side window, as I had done on several occasions 
before, when the sash of the window in my own 
attic room was pushed up and a bundle was pro¬ 
jected from it with such good aim that it would 
have struck my head, had I not instinctively 
dodged it. 

Mrs. Ranck’s head followed the bundle far 
enough to cast a cruel and triumphant glance into 
my upturned face. 

“There’s your duds. Take ’em an’ go, you 
ongrateful wretch!” she yelled. “An* don’t ye 
44 


My Fortunes Improve 

let me see your face again until you come to pay 
me the money you owes for your keepin’.” 

“Please, Mrs. Ranck,” I asked, meekly, “can 
I have my father’s watch and ring?” 

“No, no, no!” she screamed, in a fury. “Do 
ye want to rob me of everything? Ain’t you 
satisfied to owe me four hundred dollars a’ready ?” 

“I- I’d like some keepsake of father’s,” 

I persisted, well knowing this would be my last 
chance to procure it. “You may keep the watch, 
if you’ll give me the ring.” 

“I’ll keep’m both,” she retorted. “You’ll get 
nothin’ more out’n me, now or never!” 

Then she slammed down the window, and re¬ 
fused to answer by a word my further pleadings. 
So finally I picked up the bundle and, feeling 
miserable and sick at heart, followed the path 
back to the little grove. 

“It didn’t take you very long, but that’s all 
the better,” said my uncle, shutting his clasp- 
knife with a click and then standing up to brush 
the chips from his lap. “We two ’ll go to the 
tavern, an’ talk over our future plans.” 

Silently I walked by the side of Naboth Per- 

45 



Sam Steele’s Adventures 


kins until we came to the village. I knew every¬ 
one in the little town, and several of the fishermen 
and sailors met me with words of honest sym¬ 
pathy for my loss. Captain Steele had been the 
big man of Batteraft, beloved by all who knew 
him despite his reserved nature, and these simple 
villagers, rude and uneducated but kindly hearted, 
felt that in his death they had lost a good friend 
and a neighbor of whom they had always been 
proud. Not one of them would have refused as¬ 
sistance to Captain Steele’s only son; but they 
were all very poor, and it was lucky for me that 
Uncle Naboth had arrived so opportunely to be¬ 
friend me. 

Having ordered a substantial dinner of the 
landlord of “The Rudder,” Mr. Perkins gravely 
invited me to his private room for a conference, 
and I climbed the rickety stairs in his wake. 

The chamber was very luxurious in my eyes, 
with it’s rag carpet and high-posted bed, its 
wash-stand and rocking-chair. I could not easily 
withhold my deference to the man who was able 
to hire it, and removing my cap I sat upon the 
edge of the bed while Uncle Naboth took posses- 
46 


My Fortunes Improve 

sion of the rocking-chair and lighted a big briar 
pipe. 

Having settled himself comfortably by putting 
his feet upon the sill of the open window, he re¬ 
marked : 

“Now, Sam, my lad, we’ll talk it all over.’' 

“Very well, sir,” I replied, much impressed. 

“In the first place, I’m your father’s partner, 
as I said afore. Some years ago the Cap’n found 
he had more money ’n he could use in his own 
business, an’ I’d saved up a bit myself, to match 
it. So we put both together an’ bought a schooner 
called the ‘Flipper’, w’ich I’m free to say is the 
best boat, fer its size an’ kind, that ever sailed the 
Pacific.” 

“The Pacific!” 

“Naterally. Cap’n Steele on the Atlantic, an’ 
Cap’n Perkins on the Pacific. In that way we 
divided up the world between us.” He stopped 
to wink, here, and began his silent chuckle; but 
fortunately he remembered the importance of the 
occasion and refrained from carrying it to the 
choking stage. “I s’pose your father never said 
naught to you about this deal o’ ours, any more ’n 
47 


Sam Steele’s Adventures 


he did to that she-bandit up at the house. An’ 
its lucky he didn’t, or the critter’d be claimin’ the 
'Flipper’, too, an’ then you an’ I’d be out of a 
job I” 

He winked again; solemnly, this time; and I 
sat still and stared at him. 

“Howsomever, the ‘Flipper’ is still in statute 
ko, an’ thank heaven fer that! I made sev’ral 
voyages in her to Australy, that turned out fairly 
profitably, an’ brought the Cap’n an’ me some 
good bits o’ money. So last year we thought 
we’d tackle the Japan trade, that seemed to be 
lookin’ up. It looked down agin as soon as I 
struck the pesky shores, an’ a month ago I re¬ 
turned to ‘Frisco a sadder an’ a wiser man. Not 
that the losses was so great, Sam, you understand; 
but the earnin’s wasn’t enough to buy a shoe¬ 
string. 

“So I sailed cross-lots to Batteraft to consult 
with my partner, which is Cap’n Steele, as to our 
next voyage, an’ the rest o’ the story you know 
as well as I do. Your father bein’ out o’ the firm, 
from no fault o’ his’n, his son is his nateral sue- 
48 


My Fortunes Improve 

cessor. So I take it that hereafter we’ll have to 
consult together.” 

My amazed expression amused him exceed¬ 
ingly, but I found it impossible just then to utter 
a single word. Uncle Naboth did not seem to ex¬ 
pect me to speak, for after lighting his pipe again 
he continued, with an air of great complacency: 

“It mought be said that, as you’re a minor, I 
stands as your rightful guardeen, an’ have a right 
to act for you ’til you come of age. On the other 
hand, you mought claim that, bein’ a partner, your 
size an’ age don’t count, an’ you’ve a right to be 
heard. Howsomever, we won’t go to law about 
it, Sam. The law’s onreliable. Sometimes it’s 
right, an’ mostly it’s wrong; but it aint never to 
be trusted by an honest man. If you insist on 
dictatin’ what this partnership’s goin’ to do, you’ll 
probably run it on a rock in two jerks of a lamb’s 
tail, for you have n’t got the experience old Cap’n 
Steele had; but if you’re satisfied to let me take 
the tiller, an’ steer you into harbor, why, I’ll ac¬ 
cept the job an’ do the best I can at it.” 

“Uncle Naboth,” I replied, earnestly, “had 
you not been an honest man I would never have 
49 


f 


Sam Steele’s Adventures 

known you were my father’s partner, or that he 
had any interest in your business. But you’ve 
been more than honest. You’ve been kind to me; 
and I am only too glad to trust you in every way.” 

“Well spoke, lad!” cried Mr. Perkins, slap¬ 
ping his knee delightedly. “It’s what I had a 
right to expect in poor Mary’s boy. We’re sure 
to get along, Sam, and even if I don’t make you 
rich, you’ll never need a stout friend while your 
Uncle Nabe is alive an’ kickin’!” 

Then we both stood up, and shook hands with 
great solemnity, to seal the bargain. After which 
my friend and protector returned to his rocker 
and once more stretched his feet across the win¬ 
dow sill. 

“How much property belongs to me, Uncle?” 
I asked. 

“We never drew up any papers. Cap’n Steele 
knew as he could trust me, an’ so papers wa’n’t 
necessary. He owned one-third interest in the 
‘Flipper’, an’ supplied one half the money to carry 
on the trade. That made it mighty hard to figure 
out the profits, so we gen’ly lumped it, to save 
brain-work. Of course your father’s been paid 
50 


My Fortunes Improve 

all his earnin’s after each voyage was over, so 
accounts is settled up to the Japan trip. Probably 
the money I gave him was in the sea-chest, an’ 
that old she-pirate up to the house grabbed it with 
the other things. The Japan voyage was a fail¬ 
ure, as I told you; but there’s about a thousand 
dollars still cornin’ to the Cap’n—which means 
it’s cornin’ to you, Sam—an’ the ship’s worth a 
good ten thousand besides.” 

I tried to think what that meant to me. 

“It isn’t a very big sum of money, is it,. 
Uncle?” I asked, diffidently. 

“That depends on how you look at it,” he an¬ 
swered. “Big oaks from little acorns grow, you 
know. If you leave the matter to me, I’ll try to 
make that thousand sprout considerable, before 
you come of age.” 

“Of course I’ll leave it to you,” said I. “And 
I am very grateful for your kindness, sir.” 

“Don’t you turn your gratitude loose too 
soon, Sam. I may land your fortunes high an’ 
dry on the rocks, afore I’ve got through with ’em. 
But if I do it won’t be on purpose, an’ we’ll sink 
or swim together. An’ now, that bein’ as good 
5i 


Sam Steele’s Adventures 


as settled, the next thing to argy is what you’re 
a-goin’ to do while I’m sailin’ the seas an’ making 
money for you.” 

“What would you suggest?” I asked. 

“Well, some folks might think you ought to 
have more schoolin’. How old are you?” 

“Sixteen, sir.” 

“Can you read an’ write, an’ do figgers?” 

“Oh, yes; I’ve finished the public school 
course,” I replied, smiling at the simple question. 

“Then I guess you’ve had study enough, my 
lad, and are ready to go to work. I never had 
much schoolin’ myself, but I’ve managed to hold 
my own in the world, in spite of the way letters 
an’ figgers mix up when I look at ’em. Not but 
what eddication is a good thing; but all eddica- 
tion don’t lay in schools. Rubbin’ against the 
world is what polishes up a man, an’ the feller 
that keeps his eyes open can learn somethin’ new 
every day. To be open with you, Sam, I need you 
pretty bad on the ‘Flipper’, to keep the books an* 
look after the accounts, an’ do writin’ an’ spellin’ 
when letters has to be writ. On the last trip I 
put in four days hard work, writin’ a letter that 
52 


My Fortunes Improve 

was only three lines long. An* I'm blamed if the 
landsman I sent it to didn’t telegraph me for a 
translation. So, if you’re willin’ to ship with the 
firm of Perkins & Steele, I’ll make you purser 
an’ chief clerk.” 

“I should like that!” I answered, eagerly. 

“Then the second p’int’s settled. There’s only 
one more. The ‘Flipper’ is lyin’ in the harbor at 
’Frisco. When shall we join her, lad?” 

“I’m ready now, sir.” 

“Good. I’ve ordered a wagon to carry us 
over to the railroad station at four o’clock, so 
ye see I had a pretty good idea beforehand what 
sort o’ stuff Mary’s boy was made of. Now let’s 
go to dinner.” 


S3 




CHAPTER IV. 


I SHIP ABOARD THE “FLIPPER.” 

When the two-seated spring wagon drew up 
before the tavern door quite a crowd of idle vil¬ 
lagers assembled to see us off, and among them 
I noticed my father’s old sailor, Ned Britton. 
Uncle Naboth climbed aboard at once, but I 
stayed to shake the hands held out to me and to 
thank the Batteraft people for their hearty wishes 
for my future prosperity. I think they were sorry 
to see me go, and I know I felt a sudden pang of 
regret at parting from the place where I had lived 
so long and the simple villagers who had been my 
friends. 

When at last I mounted to the rear seat of the 
wagon and sat beside my uncle, I was astonished 
to find Ned Britton established beside the driver. 

“Are you going with us?” I asked. 

The sailor nodded. 

“It’s like this,” remarked Mr. Perkins, as 

54 



I Ship Aboard the Flipper 


we rolled away from the tavern, “this man be¬ 
longed to my old partner, Cap’n Steele, an’ stuck 
to his ship ’til she went down. Also he’s put 
himself out to come here an’ tell us the news, and 
it ain’t every sailor as’11 take the trouble to do 
such a job. Therefore, Ned Britton bein’ at 
present without a ship, I’ve asked him to take a 
berth aboard the ‘Flipper.’ ” 

“That was kind of you, Uncle,” I said, pleased 
at this evidence of my relative’s kindly nature. 

“An honest sailor ain’t to be sneezed at,” con¬ 
tinued Uncle Naboth, with one of his quaint 
winks. “If Ned Britton were faithful to the 
‘Saracen’ he’ll be faithful to the ‘Flipper.’ An’ 
that’s the sort o’ man we want.” 

Britton doubtless overheard every word of 
this eulogy, but he gazed stolidly ahead and paid 
no attention to my uncle’s words of praise. 

We reached the railway station in ample time 
for the train, and soon were whirling away on 
our long journey into the golden West. 

No incident worthy of note occurred on our 
way across the continent, although I might record 
a bit of diplomacy on the part of Uncle Naboth 
55 


Sam Steele’s Adventures 


that illustrates the peculiar shrewdness I have 
always found coupled with his native simplicity. 

Just before our train drew into Chicago, 
where we were to change cars and spend the best 
part of a day, my uncle slipped into my hand a 
long, fat pocket-book, saying: 

“Hide that in your pocket, Sam, and button 
it up tight. ,, 

“What’s your idea, Uncle Nabe?” I asked. 

“Why, we’re cornin’ to the wickedest city 
in all the world, accordin’ to the preachers; an’ 
if it ain’t that, it’s bad enough, in all conscience. 
There’s robbers an’ hold-up men by the thousands, 
an’ if one of ’em got hold of me I’d be busted in 
half a second. But none of ’em would think of 
holdin’ up a boy like you; so the money’s safe in 
your pocket, if you don’t go an’ lose it.” 

“I’ll try not to do that, sir,” I returned; but 
all during the day the possession of the big pocket- 
book made me nervous and uneasy. I constantly 
felt of my breast to see that the money was still 
safe, and it is a wonder my actions did not be¬ 
tray to some sly thief the fact that I was conceal¬ 
ing the combined wealth of our little party. 

56 


I Ship Aboard the Flipper 


No attempt was made to rob us, however, 
either at Chicago or during the remainder of the 
journey to the Pacific coast, and we arrived at our 
destination safely and in good spirits. 

Uncle Naboth seemed especially pleased to 
reach San Francisco again. 

“This car travellin’,” he said, “is good enough 
for landsmen that don’t know of anything bet¬ 
ter; but I’d rather spend a month at sea than a 
night in one of them stuffy, dangerous cars, that 
are likely to run off’n the track any minute.” 

Ned Britton and I accompanied Mr. Perkins 
to a modest but respectable lodging-house near 
the bay, where we secured rooms and partook of 
a hearty breakfast. Then we took a long walk, 
and I got my first sight of the famous “Golden 
Gate.” I was surprised at the great quantity of 
shipping in the bay, and as I looked over the hun¬ 
dreds of craft at anchor I wondered curiously 
which was the “Flipper,” of which I was part 
owner—the gallant ship whose praises Uncle Na¬ 
both had sung so persistently ever since we left 
Batteraft 

After luncheon we hired a small boat, and 

57 


Sam Steele’s Adventures 


Neel Britton undertook to row us aboard the 
“Flipper,” which had been hidden from our view 
by a point of land. I own that after my uncle’s 
glowing descriptions of her I expected to see a 
most beautiful schooner, with lines even nobler 
than those of the grand old “Saracen,” which had 
been my father’s pride for so many years. So 
my disappointment may be imagined when we 
drew up to a grimy looking vessel of some six 
hundred tons, with discolored sails, weather¬ 
worn rigging and a glaring need of fresh paint. 

Ned Britton, however, rested on his oars, 
studied the ship carefully, and then slowly nodded 
his head in approval. 

“Well, what d’ye think o’ her?” asked Uncle 
Naboth, relapsing into one of his silent chuckles 
at the expression of my face. 

“She looks rather dirty, sir,” I answered, hon¬ 
estly. 

“The ‘Flipper’ ain’t quite as fresh as a lily in 
bloom, that’s a fact,” returned my uncle, in no 
ways discomfited by my remark. “She wasn’t no 
deebutantee when I bought her, an’ her clothes 
has got old, and darned and patched, bein’ as we 
58 


I Ship Aboard the Flipper 


haven’t been near to a Paris dressmaker. But 
I’ve sailed in her these ten years past, Sam, an’ 
we’re both as sound as a dollar.” 

“She ought to be fast, sir,” remarked Britton, 
critically. 

Mr. Perkins laughed—not aloud, but in his 
silent, distinctly humorous way. 

“She is fast, my lad, w’ich is a virtue in a ship 
if it ain’t in a woman. And in some other ways, 
besides, the ‘Flipper’ ain’t to be sneezed at. As 
for her age, she’s too shy to tell it, but I guess it 
entitles her to full respect.” 

We now drew alongside, and climbed upon 
the deck, where my uncle was greeted by a tall, 
lank man who appeared to my curious eyes to be 
a good example of a living skeleton. His clothes 
covered his bones like bags, and so thin and drawn 
was his face that his expression was one of con¬ 
stant pain. 

“Morn’n’, Cap’n,” said Uncle Naboth, al¬ 
though it was afternoon. 

“Morn’n’, Mr. Perkins,” returned the other, 
in a sad voice. “Glad to see you back.” 

“Here’s my nevvy, Sam Steele, whose father 

59 


Sam Steele’s Adventures 

were part owner but got lost in a storm awhile 
ago.” 

“Glad to see you, sir,” said the Captain, giv¬ 
ing my hand a melancholy shake. 

“An’ here’s Ned Britton, who once sailed with 
Cap’n Steele,” continued my uncle. “He’ll sign 
with us, Cap’n Gay, and I guess you’ll find him 
A No. i.” 

“Glad to see you, Britton,” repeated the Cap¬ 
tain, in his dismal voice. If the lanky Captain 
was as glad to see us all as his words indicated, 
his expression fully contradicted the fact. 

Britton saluted and walked aft, where I no¬ 
ticed several sailors squatting upon the deck in 
careless attitudes. To my glance these seemed 
as solemn and joyless as their Captain; but I ac¬ 
knowledge that on this first visit everything about 
the ship was a disappointment to me, perhaps 
because I had had little experience with trading 
vessels and my mind was stored with recollections 
of the trim “Saracen.” 

Below, however, was a comfortable cabin, 
well fitted up, and Uncle Naboth showed me a 
berth next to his own private room which was to 
60 


I Ship Aboard the Flipper 

be my future home. The place was little more 
than a closet, but I decided it would do very well. 

“I thought you were the captain of the ‘Flip¬ 
per,’ Uncle Naboth,” said I, when we were alone. 

“No; I’m jest super-cargo,” he replied, with 
his usual wink. “You see, I wasn’t eddicated as 
a sailor, Sam, an’ never cared to learn the trade. 
Cap’n Gay is one o’ the best seamen that ever 
laid a course, so I hire him to take the ship where- 
ever I want to go. As fer the cargo, that’s my 
’special look-out, an’ it keeps me busy enough, I 
can tell you. I’m a nat’ral born trader, and ex¬ 
cept fer that blamed Japan trip, I ain’t much 
ashamed of my record.” 

“Will you go to Australia again?” I asked. 

“Not jest now, Sam. My next venture’s 
goin’ to be a bit irregular—what you might call 
speculative, an’ extry-hazardous. But we’ll talk 
that over tonight, after supper.” 

After making a cursory examination of the 
ship Uncle Naboth received the Captain’s report 
of what had transpired in his absence, and then 
we rowed back to town again. 

We strolled through the city streets for an 
61 


Sam Steele’s Adventures 


hour, had supper, and then my uncle took me to 
his room, carefully closed and locked the door, 
and announced that he was ready to “talk busi¬ 
ness.” 

“Bein’ partners,” he said, “we’ve got to con¬ 
sult together; but I take it you won’t feel bad, 
Sam, if I do most of the consultin’. I went down 
East to Batteraft to talk my plans with your 
father, but he slipped his cable an’ I’ve got to 
talk ’em to you. If you see I’m wrong, anywhere, 
jest chip in an’ stop me; but otherwise the less 
you say the more good we’ll get out’n this ’ere 
conference.” 

“Very well, sir.” 

“To start in with, we’ve got a ship, an’ a 
crew, an’ plenty o’ loose money. So what’ll we 
do with ’em? Our business is to trade, an’ to 
invest our money so we’ll make more with it. 
What’s the best way to do that?” 

He seemed to pause for an answer, so I said: 
“I don’t know sir.” 

“Nobody knows , of course. But we can guess, 
and then find out afterward if we’ve guessed 
right. All business is a gamble; and, if it wasn’t, 
62 


I Ship Aboard the Flipper 

most men would quit an’ go fishin\ After I 
got back from Japan I met a lot o’ fellows that 
had been to Alaska huntin’ gold. Seems like 
Alaska’s full of gold, an’ before long the whole 
country’ll be flockin’ there like sheep. All ’Fris¬ 
co’s gettin’ excited about the thing, so they tell 
me, and if fortunes is goin’ to be made in Alaska, 
we may as well speak for one ourselves.” 

“But we are not miners, Uncle; and it’s bitter 
cold up there, they say.” 

“Well put. We’ll let the crowds mine the 
gold, and then hand it over to us.” 

“I’m afraid I don’t understand,” said I, 
weakly. 

“No call for you to try, Sam. I’m your guar- 
deen, an’ so I’ll do the understandin’ for us both. 
Folks has to eat, my lad, an’ gold hunters is 
usually too excited to make proper provisions fer 
their stomachs. They’re goin’ to be mighty hun¬ 
gry out in Alaska, before long, an’ when a man’s 
hungry he’ll pay liberal fer a square meal. Let’s 
give it to him, Sam, an’ take the consequences—- 
which is gold dust an’ nuggets.” 

“How will you do it, Uncle Nabe?” 

63 


Sam Steele’s Adventures 

“Load the ‘Flipper’ with grub an’ carry it to 
Kipnac, or up the Yukon as far as Fort Weare, 
or wherever the gold fields open up. Then, when 
the miners get hungry, they’ll come to us and 
trade their gold for our groceries. We’re sure 
to make big profits, Sam.” 

“It looks like a reasonable proposition, sir,” 
I said. “But it seems to me rather dangerous. 
Suppose our ship gets frozen in the ice, and we 
can’t get away? And suppose about that time 
we’ve sold out our provisions. We can’t eat gold. 
And suppose-” 

“S’pose the moon falls out’n the sky,” inter¬ 
rupted Uncle Naboth, “wouldn’t it be dark at 
night, though!” 

“Well, sir?” 

“If the gold-diggers can live in the ice fields, 
we can live in a good warm ship. And we’ll 
keep enough grub for ourselves, you may be sure 
of that.” 

“When do we start?” I asked, feeling sure 
that no arguments would move my uncle to aban¬ 
don the trip, once he had made up his mind to 
undertake it. 


64 



I Ship Aboard the Flipper 

“As soon as we can get the cargo aboard. It’s 
coming on warmer weather, now, and this is the 
best time to make the voyage. A steamer left to¬ 
day with three hundred prospectors, an* they’ll 
be goin’ in bunches every day, now. Already I 
estimate there’s over a thousand in the fields, so 
we won’t get there any too soon to do business. 
What do you say, Sam?” 

“I’ve nothing to say, sir. Being my guardian, 
you’ve decided the matter for both the partners, 
as is right and proper. As your clerk and as¬ 
sistant, I’ll obey whatever orders you give me.” 

“That’s the proper spirit, lad!” he cried, with 
enthusiasm. “We’ll go to work tomorrow morn¬ 
ing; and if all goes well we’ll be afloat in ten 
days, with a full cargo!” 


65 


CHAPTER V. 


“nux” and “bryonia.” 

On the seventh day of May, 1897, the “Flip¬ 
per” weighed anchor and sailed before a light 
breeze through the Golden Gate and away on her 
voyage toward Alaska and its gold fields. Stored 
within her hold was a vast quantity of provisions 
of the sort that could be kept indefinitely without 
danger of spoiling. Flour, hams, bacon, sugar 
and coffee were represented; but canned meats 
and vegetables, tobacco and cheap cigars com¬ 
prised by far the greater part of the cargo. Uncle 
Naboth had been seriously advised to carry a 
good supply of liquors, but refused positively to 
traffic in such merchandise. 

Indeed, my uncle rose many degrees in my 
respect after I had watched for a time his prepara¬ 
tions for our voyage. Simple, rough and unedu¬ 
cated he might be, but a shrewder man at a bar¬ 
gain I have never met in all my experience. And 
66 



“Nux” and “ Bryonia” 


his reputation for honesty was so well established 
that his credit was practically unlimited among 
the wholesale grocers and notion jobbers of San 
Francisco. Everyone seemed ready and anxious 
to assist him, and the amount of consideration he 
met with on every hand was really wonderful. 

“We’ve bought the right stuff, Sam,” he said 
to me, as we stood on the deck and watched the 
shore gradually recede, “and now we’ve got to 
sell it right. That’s the secret of good tradin’.” 

I was glad enough to find myself at sea, 
where I could rest from my labors of the past two 
weeks. I had been upon the docks night and day, 
it seemed, checking off packages of goods as fast 
as they were loaded on the lighters, and being 
unaccustomed to work I tired very easily. But 
my books were all accurate and “ship-shape,” and 
I had found opportunity to fit up my little state¬ 
room with many comforts. In this I had been 
aided by Uncle Naboth, who was exceedingly lib¬ 
eral in allowing me money for whatever I re¬ 
quired. At one time I said I would like to buy a 
few books, and the next day, to my surprise, he 
sent to my room a box containing the complete 

67 


Sam Steele’s Adventures 


works of Walter Scott and Robert Louis Stev¬ 
enson, with a miscellaneous collection of volumes 
by standard authors. 

“I don’t know much about books myself, 
Sam,” he said; “so I got a feller that does know 
to pick ’em out for me, an’ I guess you’ll find 'em 
the right sort.” 

I did not tell him that I would have preferred 
to make my own selection, and afterward I frank¬ 
ly admitted to myself that the collection was an 
admirable one. 

By this time I had come to know all the officers 
and crew, and found them a pretty good lot, 
taken altogether. The principle “characters” 
aboard were the dismal Captain Gay, who was 
really as contented a man as I ever knew, Acker, 
the ship’s doctor, and two queer black men called 
by everybody Nux and Bryonia. Acker was a 
big, burly Englishman, who, besides being doctor, 
served as mate. He was jolly and good natured 
as the day was long, and had a few good stories 
which he told over and over again, invariably 
laughing at them more heartily than his auditors 
did. Singularly enough, Captain Gay and “Doc” 
68 


“Nux” and “Bryonia” 

Acker were close friends and cronies, and lived 
together in perfect harmony. 

The black men interested me greatly from the 
moment I first saw them. Bryonia, or “Bry,” as 
he was more frequently called, was the cook, and 
gave perfect satisfaction in that capacity. “Nux” 
was man-of-all-work, serving the cabin mess, as¬ 
sisting the cook, and acting as “able seaman” 
whenever required. He proved competent in 
nearly all ways, and was a prime favorite with 
officers and men. 

They were natives of some small island of the 
Sulu archipelago, and their history was a strange 
one. In answer to my question as to why the 
blacks were so queerly named, Uncle Naboth re¬ 
lated the following: 

“It were six years ago, or thereabout, as we 
were homeward bound from our third Australy 
trip, that we sighted a native canoe in the neigh¬ 
borhood of the Caroline Islands. It was early in 
the mornin’, and at first the lookout thought the 
canoe was empty; but it happened to lay in our 
course, and as we overtook it we saw two niggers 
lyin’ bound in the bottom of the boat. So we 
69 


Sam Steele’s Adventures 


lay to, an* picked ’em up, an’ when they was 
histed aboard they were considerable more dead 
ner alive. Bill Acker was our mate then, as he 
is now, an’ in his early days he studied to be a 
hoss doctor. So he always carries a box of med¬ 
icines with him, to fix up the men in case they gets 
the jaundice or the colic. Mostly they’s pills, an’ 
sugar coated, for Doc hates to tackle drugs as is 
very dangerous. An’ on account of a good deal 
of sickness among the crew that trip, an’ conse¬ 
quently a good deal of experimentin’ by Doc on 
the medicine chest, the pills an’ such like was 
nearly used up, though no one seemed much the 
worse for it. 

“Well, after we’d cut the niggers’ bonds, an’ 
rubbed ’em good to restore the circulation, we 
come near decidin’ they was dead an’ heavin’ of 
’em overboard agin. But Doc wouldn’t give up. 
He brought out the medicine box, an’ found that 
all the stuff he had left was two bottles of pills, 
one of ’em Nux Vomica, an’ the other Bryonia. 
I was workin’ over one of the niggers, an’ Doc 
he hands me one o’ the bottles an says: ‘Nux.’ 
So I emptied the bottle into the dead man’s mouth, 
70 


“Nux” and “Bryonia” 


an’ by Jinks, Sam, he come around all right, and 
is alive an' kickin’ today Cap’n Gay dosed the 
other one with the Bryonia, an’ it fetched him in 
no time. I won’t swear it were the pills, you 
know; but the fact is the niggers lived. 

“Afterwards we found the critters couldn’t 
speak a word of English, ner tell us even what 
their names were. So we called one Nux, and 
the other Bryonia, accordin to the medicine that 
had saved their lives, an’ they’ve answered to 
those names ever since.” 

The blacks were gentle and good natured, and 
being grateful for their rescue they had refused to 
leave the ship at the end of the voyage, and were 
now permanent fixtures of the “Flipper.” 

“They are not slaves, are they?” I asked, when 
I had listened to this story. 

“Mercy, no!” exclaimed Uncle Naboth. 
“They’re as free as any of us, an’ draw their 
wages reg’lar. Also they’re as faithful as the 
day is long, an’ never get drunk or mutinous. So 
it were a lucky day when we picked ’em up.” 

Bryonia stood fully six feet in height, and 
was muscular and wonderfully strong. He had 
7i 


Sam Steele’s Adventures 


a fine face, too, and large and intelligent eyes. 
Nux was much shorter, and inclined to be fat. 
But he was not a bit lazy, for all that, and accomp¬ 
lished an immense amount of work in so cheerful 
a manner that never a complaint was laid at his 
door. Not a sailor could climb aloft with more 
agility or a surer foot, and both Nux and Bryonia 
were absolutely fearless in the face of danger. 

Although these men were black they were not 
negroes, but belonged to a branch of the Malay 
race. Their hair was straight, their noses well 
formed and their eyes very expressive and intelli¬ 
gent. The English they had picked up from the 
crew, however, was spoken with an accent not un¬ 
like that peculiar to the African negroes, but with 
a softer and more sibilant tone. 

Before I had been on the ship a week both 
Nux -and Bry were my faithful friends and de¬ 
voted followers, and in the days that were to 
come their friendship and faithfulness stood me 
in good stead. 

A very interesting person to me was big Bill 
Acker, the mate, called by courtesy “Doc.” He 
seemed far above his mates in the matter of in- 


72 


“Nux” and “Bryonia” 


telligeiice, and was evidently a well bred man in 
his youth. A shelf above his bunk bore a well- 
thumbed row of volumes on the world’s great re¬ 
ligions, together with a Talmud, a Koran, a Bible,, 
the works of Confucius and Max Muller’s trans¬ 
lation of the Vedas. One seemed to have been as 
thoroughly read as the others, yet never have I 
heard Doc Acker say one word, good or bad, 
about religion. Whatever the result of his studies 
might be, he kept his opinions strictly to himself. 

A stiff breeze sprang up during the first night, 
and the second day at sea found me miserably ill, 
and regretting that I had ever trusted myself to 
the mercies of cruel old ocean. Indeed, I lay in a 
most pitiable plight until the big Englishman 
came to me with doses of medicines from his 
chest. He might have been merely “a hoss doc¬ 
tor,” as Uncle Naboth had said; but certain it is 
that his remedies helped me, and within twenty- 
four hours I was again able to walk the deck in 
comfort. 

Perhaps I had inherited some of my father's 
fondness for salt water, for my new life soon be¬ 
came vastly interesting to me, and it was not long 
73 


Sam Steele’s Adventures 

before I felt entirely at home on the dingy old 
“Flipper.” 

One morning, after standing by the bulwarks 
for a time watching the water slip by, I climbed 
upon the rail and sat with my heels dangling over 
the side. Suddenly I felt a strong hand grasp my 
shoulder and draw me to the deck, and I turned 
around indignantly to find black Nux beside me. 

“Bad place to sit, Mars Sam,” he said, coolly; 
“might tum’le ov’bode.” 

Before I could reply, Uncle Naboth, who had 
iwitnessed the incident, strolled up to us and said: 

“Nux is right, my lad. You never find a sail¬ 
or sitting on the rail; they know too well how 
onreliable the motion of a ship is. If anybody 
drops overboard the chances o’ bein’ picked up 
alive is mighty slim, I tell you. Only fools put 
’emselves into unnecessary danger, Sam. Take 
it on them orful railroad cars, for instance. Old 
travellers always wait ’till the train stops afore 
they gets on or off the cars. Them as don’t know 
the danger is the ones that gets hurt. Same way 
handlin’ a gun. An old hunter once told me he 
never p’inted a gun at anything he didn’t want to 
74 


“Nux” and “Bryonia” 


kill; but there’s a lot o’ folks killed ev’ry year that 
don’t know the blamed thing is loaded. It ain’t 
cowardly to be keerful, lad; but only fools an’ ig¬ 
norant people is reckless enough to get careless.” 

I am glad to say I took this lecture with good 
humor, admitting frankly that Uncle Naboth was 
right. At least once in the future a recollection of 
this caution saved me from hopeless disaster. 

On the sixth day the breeze died away and the 
ship lay still. There was not a breath of air, and 
the heat was so intense that the interior of the 
ship was like a furnace. At night we slept upon 
the deck, and by day we lay gasping beneath the 
shade of the tarpaulins. Bryonia let the galley 
fire die out and served us cold lunches, but our 
appetites were small. 

There being no occasion to work, the crew 
gathered in little bunches and told a series of 
never-ending yarns that were very interesting to 
me, because most of them were of hair-breadth 
adventures and escapes that were postively won¬ 
derful—if one tried to believe them. One of the 
best of these story-tellers was Ned Britton, who 
had been appointed our boatswain and w r as al- 
75 


Sam Steele’s Adventures 


ready popular with his mates. As his yarns were 
all of the Atlantic, and most of the “Flipper’s” 
crew had sailed only on the Pacific, Britton opened 
to them a new field of adventures, which met 
with universal approval. 

Nux and Bry, who bore the heat better than 
their white brethren, added to the general amuse¬ 
ment by giving exhibitions of the Moro war 
dances, ending with desperate encounters, with 
sticks to represent spears, that were sure to arouse 
the entire crew to enthusiasm. They sometimes 
sang their native war songs, also—a series of 
monotonous, gutteral chants. And then Dan Don- 
negan, a little, red-whiskered Irishman, would 
wind up with “Bryan O’Lynne” or some other 
comic ditty that set the forecastle roaring with 
laughter. 

During this period of enforced idleness the 
dismal Captain Gay walked the deck with solemn 
patience and watched for signs of a breeze. Bill 
Acker, the mate, read his religious library all 
through—probably for the hundredth time. Uncle 
Nabe taught me cribbage, and we played for 
hours at a time, although I usually came out sec- 
76 


“Nux” and “Bryonia” 


ond best at the game. Also I learned the ropes 
of the ship and received many lessons in naviga¬ 
tion from my friends the sailors, not one of whom 
knew anything about that abstruse problem. 

“Thay ain’t a man o’ the lot as could take the 
ship back to ’Frisco, in case of emergency,” said 
my uncle; and I believe he was right. Common 
sailors are singularly ignorant of navigation, al¬ 
though they have a way of deceiving themselves 
into thinking they know all about it. 

After being becalmed six days, the intense heat 
was at last relieved by a thin breeze, which sprung 
up during the night. The sails were at once trim¬ 
med, and within an hour the “Flipper” was skip¬ 
ping the little waves to the satisfaction of all on 
board. 

But the wind steadily increased, and by morn¬ 
ing all hands were called to shorten sail. By noon 
we encountered a stiff gale, which blew from the 
east, and soon lashed the waves into a mad frenzy. 

As the storm gradually increased Captain 
Gay began to look anxious. There was a brief lull 
toward evening, during which a great hail-storm 
descended upon us, the icy bullets pelting the sail- 
77 


Sam Steele’s Adventures. 

ors unmercifully and driving all to shelter. Then 
the wind redoubled its fury, and the Captain put 
the ship before it, allowing the gale to bear us 
considerably out of our course. 

Uncle Naboth growled considerably at this 
necessity, but he did not interfere in the least with 
Captain Gay's management of the ship. Safety 
was more important to us than time, and Gay 
was not a man to take unnecessary chances. 

The three wild days that followed have al¬ 
ways seemed to me since like a horrible dream. I 
had no idea a ship could be so tossed and pounded 
and battered about, and still live. It was a mere 
chip on the great, angry ocean, and the water 
washed our decks almost continually. After one 
of these deluges, \yhen every man strove to save 
himself by clinging to the life lines, two of our 
best sailors were missed, and we never saw them 
again. Uncle Nabe began to whistle, and every 
time he saw me he gave one of his humorous 
winks or fell to chuckling in his silent way; but 
my white face could not have been much encour¬ 
agement to gaiety, and I believe he was not over 
merry himself, but merely trying to cheer me up. 

78 


“Nux” and “Bryonia” 

But, although the danger was so imminent, 
not a man flinched or gave way to fear, and Nux 
and Bryonia performed their duties as calmly as 
if the sea were smooth. The vessel was staunch 
enough, so far; but it pitched and tossed so vio¬ 
lently that even burly Doc Acker was obliged to 
crawl into the cabin on his hands and knees to get 
his meals. 

We fled before the wind until the third night, 
when the rudder chain broke and the helmsman 
was thrown, crushed and bleeding, against the lee 
bulwarks. The “Flipper,” released from all con¬ 
trol, swung quickly around, and the big mainmast 
snapped like a pipe-stem and came tumbling with 
its cordage to the decks, where our brave sailors 
rushed upon it and cut it clear. I thought the 
ship would never right again, after the careening 
given it by the fallen mast; but, somehow, it did, 
and morning found us still afloat, although badly 
crippled and at the mercy of the waves. 

As if satisfied with the havoc it had wrought, 
the gale now abated; but the waves ran high for 
another forty-eight hours, and our crew could do 
79 


Sam Steele’s Adventures 


nothing but cling to the remaining rigging and 
await calmer weather. 

Fortunately our ballast and cargo held in place 
through all, and the hull showed no sign of a leak. 
When the sea grew calmer we floated upright 
4ipon the water and it was found our straits were 
•'not nearly so desperate as we had feared. 

Yet our condition was serious enough to make 
me wonder what was to become of us. The rud¬ 
der had been entirely washed away; the mainmast 
was gone; the mizzenmast had broken at the head 
and the foresail royals were in splinters. All the 
deck was cumbered with rigging; the starboard 
bulwarks had been stove in by the fallen mast, 
and our crew was lessened by three able seamen. 

But Captain Gay, no less dismal than before, 
you may be sure, promptly began to issue orders, 
and the men fell to with a will to repair the dam¬ 
age as best they might. First they rigged up a 
temporary rudder and swung it astern. It was a 
poor makeshift, however, and only with good 
weather could we hope it would steer us to the 
nearest port. 

While the men cleared the decks and rigged 

80 


“Nux” and “Bryonia” 


up a jury mast under the supervision of the mate, 
Captain Gay took our bearings and ascertained 
that we had not departed so greatly from our 
course as we had feared. Yet it was impossible 
to make the mouth of the Yukon in our present 
condition, or even to reach a shelter in Bering 
Sea. It was found, however, that the Alaska 
peninsula was not far away, so we decided to 
draw as near to that as possible, in the hope of 
meeting a passing vessel or finding a temporary 
refuge on some one of the numerous islands that 
lie in this part of the North Pacific. 

For four days we labored along, in our crip¬ 
pled condition, without sighting land; but then 
our fortunes changed. During the night a good 
breeze from the southwest swept us merrily along, 
and when daylight came we found ourselves close 
to a small, wooded island. It lay in the form of 
a horse-shoe, with a broad, protected bay in the 
center, and Captain Gay, anxious to examine his 
ship more closely, decided at once to enter the 
harbor and cast anchor. 

This was by no means an easy task, for long 
lines of reefs extended from each point of the 
81 


Sam Steele’s Adventures 


shore, almost enclosing the bay with jagged rocks. 
But the sea was calm and the position of the reefs 
clearly marked; so that by skillful maneuvering 
the “Flipper” passed between them in safety, and 
to the relief and satisfaction of all on board we 
dropped our anchor in the clear waters of the bay. 



82 


CHAPTER VL 


THE LAND OF MYSTERY. 

Captain Gay examined his chart with minute 
care, and solemnly shook his head. 

The island was not there. Either the chart 
was imperfect, or we had reached a hitherto un¬ 
discovered land. The latter conjecture was not 
at all unreasonable, for so many islands lay in 
this neighborhood that even when sighted by 
chance an outlying islet was little liable to tempt 
one to land upon it. This was doubtless one of 
the numerous group lying to the south-east of the 
Alaska peninsula, which are of volcanic origin 
and as a rule barren and uninhabited. 

I have said this island was well wooded, but 
not until we were opposite the mouth of the nat¬ 
ural harbor did we observe this fact. From the 
sea only a line of rugged headlands and peaks 
showed plainly, and had we not been in distress 
we should never have thought to stop at this place. 

83 



Sam Steele’s Adventures 


Once within the harbor, however, the scene that 
met our view was not unattractive. 

Bordering the bay was a sandy beach a full 
hundred yards in width, broken only by an 
inlet toward the left, or south, which seemed 
to lead into the interior of the island, winding be¬ 
tween high and precipitous banks and soon becom¬ 
ing lost to sight. Back of the beach was the 
clean-cut edge of a forest, not following a straight 
line, but rising and falling in hills and ravines un¬ 
til it seemed from the bay to have been scolloped 
into shape by a pair of hugh scissors. The woods 
were thick and the trees of uniform size, and be¬ 
tween them grew a mass of vines and underbrush 
that made them almost impenetrable. How far 
the forest extended we were unable to guess; nor 
did we know how wide the island might be, for 
back of the hills rose a range of wooded moun¬ 
tains nearly a thousand feet in height, and what 
might lie beyond these was of course a matter of 
conjecture. Uncle Naboth, however, advanced 
the opinion that the island ended at the mountain 
peaks, and dropped sheer down to the sea beyond. 
He had seen many formations of that sort, and 

84 


The Land of Mystery 

supposed we had found the only possible harbor 
on the island. 

There was no apparent indication that the is¬ 
land had ever before been visited by man. Even 
signs of natives occupation were lacking. But 
Captain Gay decided to send a small boat ashore 
to explore the inlet before we could relax all vigi¬ 
lance and feel that we were not liable to attack 
or interruption. 

So the gig was lowered, and four of the crew* 
accompanied by Bill Acker, the mate, set off upon 
their voyage of discovery. They rowed straight 
to the inlet, which proved to be navigable, and 
soon after entering it we lost sight of the boat as 
it wound between the wooded cliffs. 

We waited patiently an hour; two hours; three 
hours; but the boat did not return. Then patience 
gave way to anxiety, and finally the suspense be¬ 
came unbearable. After the loss of our three sail¬ 
ors during the storm we were reduced to eleven 
men, besides Uncle Naboth and myself, who 
were not counted members of the crew. Thirteen 
on board was not an especially lucky number, so 
that some of the men had been looking for dis- 

85 


Sam Steele’s Adventures 


aster of some sort ever since we sighted the island. 
Those now remaining on the “Flipper” were the 
Captain, Ned Britton and two other sailors, Nux 
and Bryonia, my Uncle and myself; eight, all 
told. To send more men after the five who were 
absent would be to reduce our numbers more than 
was wise; yet it was impossible for us to remain 
inactive. Finally, Ned Britton offered to attempt 
to make his way through the woods, along the 
edge of the inlet, and endeavor to find out what 
had become of Acker and his men. He armed 
himself with two revolvers and a stout cutlass, 
and then we rowed him to the shore and watched 
him start on his expedition. 

Not expecting that Ned would be long absent, 
we did not at once return to the ship. Instead, 
the Captain backed the boat into deep water and 
lay to, that we might pick up our messenger 
when he reappeared. 

It had been agreed that if Ned came upon the 
mate he was to fire two shots in quick succession, 
to let us know that all was well. If he encount¬ 
ered danger he was to fire a single shot. If he 
wished us to come to his assistance he would fire 
86 


The Land of Mystery 

three shots. But the afternoon passed slowly and 
quietly, and no sound of any kind came from the 
interior to relieve our anxiety. The boat returned 
to the ship, and Bryonia served our supper amid 
an ominous and gloomy silence on the part of 
those few who were left. 

There was something uncanny about this mys¬ 
terious disappearance of our comrades. Had they 
been able to return or to communicate with us 
there was no doubt they would have done so; 
therefore their absence was fraught with un¬ 
known but no less certain terror. Big Bill Acker 
was a man of much resource, and absolutely to be 
depended upon; and Ned Britton, who had been 
fully warned and would be on his guard against 
all dangers, was shrewd and active and not liable 
to be caught napping. 

What, then, had they encountered ? Wild 
beasts, savages, or some awful natural phenom¬ 
enon which had cruelly destroyed them? Our 
imaginations ran riot, but it was all imagination, 
after all, and we were no nearer the truth. 

An anxious night passed, and at daybreak 
Uncle Naboth called a council of war, at which 

87 


Sam Steele’s Adventures 


all on board were present. We faced a hard prop¬ 
osition, you may be sure, for not one of us had 
any information to guide him, and all were alike 
in the dark. 

To desert our absent friends and sail away 
from the island was impossible, even had we de¬ 
sired to do so; for our numbers were too small to 
permit us to work the disabled “Flipper” in safe¬ 
ty, and the ship’s carpenter, on whom we greatly 
depended, had gone with the mate. All repairs 
must be postponed until the mystery of the men’s 
disappearance was solved; and we firmly resolved 
that those of us remaining must not separate, but 
stick together to the last, and stick to the ship, as 
well. 

Good resolutions, indeed; but we failed to con¬ 
sider the demands of an aroused curiosity. Af¬ 
ter two days had dragged their hours away with¬ 
out a sign of our absent comrades human nature 
could bear the suspense no longer. 

Uncle Naboth called another council, and 
said: 

“Boys, we’re actin’ like a pack o’ cowards. 
Let’s follow after our friends, an’ find ’em, dead 
88 


The Land of Mystery 

or alive. We oughtn’t to shrink from a danger 
we sent ’em into; and if we can’t rescue ’em, let’s 
run the chance of dyin’ with ’em.” 

This sentiment met with general approval. All 
felt that the time for action had arrived, and if 
there was a reluctant man among us he made no 
sign. 

Early next morning we partook of a hasty 
breakfast and then tumbled into the long boat to 
begin our quest. Every one on the ship was to 
accompany the expedition, for no one cared to 
be left behind. Uncle Naboth at first proposed 
to leave me on board, in the care of Bry; but I 
pleaded hard to go with the rest, and it was evi¬ 
dent that I would be in as much danger aboard as 
in the company of the exploring party. So it 
was decided to take me along, and we practically 
deserted the ship, taking with us a fair supply of 
provisions and plenty of ammunition. The men 
were fully armed, and my uncle even intrusted 
me with a revolver, for I had learned to shoot 
fairly well. 

It was a beautiful morning, cool and fresh and 
sunny, as we rowed away from the ship and 

89 


Sam Steele’s Adventures 


headed for the inlet. That unknown and per¬ 
haps terrible dangers lay ahead of us we had good 
reason to expect; but every man was alert and 
vigilant and eager to unravel the mystery of this 
strange island. 


90 


CHAPTER VII. 


THE MAJOR. 

Presently we shot into the opening and passed 
swiftly up the smooth waters of the inlet. The 
hills were gradually sloping, at first, and we could 
look into the tangled mass of forest that lay on 
either hand. But soon the sides of the channel 
became rocky and precipitious, rising higher and 
higher until we found ourselves in a deep gorge 
that wound between gigantic overhanging cliffs. 
The waters of the inlet were still smooth, but it 
narrowed perceptibly, all the time curving sharply 
to the right and then to the left in a series of 
zig-zags; so that every few minutes we seemed 
to be approaching a solid rocky wall, which sud¬ 
denly disclosed a continuation of the channel to 
right angles with it, allowing us to continue on 
our course. 

It was indeed necessary to watch out, in such 
a place as this, for we were passing through the 
9i 



Sam Steele’s Adventures 

heart of the mountain, and could not tell from one 
moment to another what lay before us. . 

There was barely room on each side for the 
sweep of the oars, so that we had to pull straight 
and carefully; but after a time the deep gloom in 
which we were engulfed began to lighten, and we 
were aware that the slope of the mountain was 
decreasing, and we were approaching its further 
side. 

On and on we rowed, twisting abruptly this 
way and that, until suddenly, as we turned a sharp 
corner and shot into open, shallow water, the ad¬ 
venture culminated in a mighty surprise. 

We were surrounded by a band of men—big, 
brawny fellows who stood waist deep in the 
water and threw coils of rope about us before we 
were quite aware of their presence. At the same 
time they caught the boat and arrested its pro¬ 
gress, jerking the oars from the hands of our 
rowers and making us fast prisoners. 

Only Bryonia was quicker than the men who 
sought to entrap him. Before the noose could 
settle over his shoulders he leaped into the air and 
dove headlong beneath the water. But the brave 
92 


The Major 


attempt to escape was all in vain, for as he rose 
to the surface a dozen hands caught him and drew 
him to the shore, where, despite his struggles, he 
was bound as securely as the rest of us. 

So unexpected was the attack and so cleverly 
were we mastered that scarcely a word was ut¬ 
tered by our little party as we stared in aston¬ 
ishment into the rough and bearded faces of our 
captors. Only Captain Gay muttered a string of 
naughty words under his breath; the rest were 
silent, and Uncle Naboth, bound round and round 
with rope so that he could not move, sat in his 
seat and looked across at me with one of his 
quaintest winks, as if he would cheer me up in 
this unexpected crisis. 

Nor had a word been spoken by the men who 
entrapped us. Wading slowly through the water, 
they drew our boat to a sandy shore and beached 
it, while we looked curiously around upon the 
scene that was now clearly unfolded to our view r . 

The clifts had ended abruptly, and the center 
of the island, flat and broad, lay stretched before 
us. The waters of the inlet from here became 
shallow, and a wide beach of strangely bright 
93 


Sam Steele’s Adventures 


sands extended for two hundred feet on either 
side of it. Then came the jungle, thick and seem¬ 
ingly impenetrable, beyond which all was un¬ 
known. Straight and without a ripple the water 
lay before us a full quarter of a mile, disappear¬ 
ing thence into the forest. 

On the thick sands of the east shore, where 
we now were, a number of rude huts had been 
erected, shaped something like Indian tepees and 
made of intertwined branches covered with leaves 
from the forest. These stood in a row near to the 
edge of the jungle, so as to take advantage of its 
shade. 

But more strange than all this was the appear¬ 
ance of the men who had bound us. They were 
evidently our own countrymen, and from their 
dress and manners seemed to be miners. But 
nearly all were in rags and tatters, as if they 
had been long away from civilization, and their 
faces were fierce and brutal, bearing the expres¬ 
sion of wild beasts in search of prey. 

One of them, however, who stood upon the 
beach regarding us silently and with folded arms, 
was a personage so remarkable that he instantly 
94 


The Major 


riveted our attention. His height was enor¬ 
mous—at least six feet and three inches—and 
his chest was broad and deep as that of ancient 
Hercules. He was bearded like a gorilla with 
fiery red hair, which extended even to his great 
chest, disclosed through the open grey flannel 
shirt. There was no hat upon his head, and he 
wore no coat; but high boots were upon his feet 
and around his waist a leathern belt stuck full of 
knives and revolvers. 

No stage pirate, no bandit of Southern Eu¬ 
rope, was ever half so formidable in appearance as 
this terrible personage. He stood motionless as 
a pillar of stone, but his little red eyes, quick and 
shrewd, roved from one to another of our faces, 
as if he were making a mental estimate of each 
one of us—like the ogre who selected his fattest 
prisoner to grace his pot-pie. 

I own that I shuddered as his glance fell upon 
me; and we were all more or less disquieted by 
our rough seizure and the uncertainty of the fate 
that awaited us. 

This man—the red giant—was undoubtedly 
the leader of the outlaw band, for having pulled 
95 


Sam Steele’s Adventures 

our boat upon the beach and dragged Bryonia to a 
position beside it, all eyes were turned enquiringly 
upon him. 

He strode forward a few steps, fixed his eyes 
firmly upon Uncle Naboth, and said: 

“Did you leave anyone aboard the ship?” 

I gave a start of surprise. The voice of the 
huge bandit was as gentle and soft as that of a 
woman. 

“No,” said my uncle. 

“I guess, Major, we've got ’em all now,” re¬ 
marked one of the men. 

The giant nodded and turned again to Uncle 
Naboth. 

“You must pardon us, sir, for our seeming 
rudeness,” said he, with a politeness that seemed 
absolutely incongruous, coming from his coarse, 
hairy lips. “My men and I are in desperate 
straights, and only desperate remedies will avail 
to save us. I beg you all to believe that we have 
no personal enmity toward you whatever.” Then 
he turned to his men, and with a wave of his hand 
added: “Bring them along.” 

Thereat we were jerked from our seats in 
96 



Captured by the gold-hunters 















■ 


' 









The Major 


the boat and led away over the sands toward the 
edge of the jungle. I noticed that our arms and 
provisions, being confiscated, were carried into 
one of the huts, but we ourselves were dragged 
past these and through an opening in the trees 
just large enough to admit us single file. 

A few steps from the edge we entered a cir¬ 
cular clearing, perhaps a dozen paces in diameter, 
hemmed in on all sides by a perfect network of 
tangled brushwood and vines. Here, to our great 
joy, we came upon our lost comrades, alt seated 
at the base of slender trees, to which they were 
bound by stout ropes. 

“Hurrah!” cried Bill Acker, a smile lighting 
his careworn face. “It’s a joy to see you again, 
• my boys, although you seem to have fallen into 
the same trap we did.” 

“Beg parding, Cap’n, for getting myself 
caught,” said Net Britton, quite seriously. “The 
brutes jumped me so quick I hadn’t time to fire 
a shot.” 

“All right, Ned; you’re not to blame,” said 
Captain Gay, and while we were interchanging 
greetings our captors were busily engaged in se- 
LOFC. 99 


Sam Steele’s Adventures 


curing us to trees, in the same manner the others 
were bound. We protested, very naturally, at 
such treatment, but the men, surly and rough, an¬ 
swered us not a word, and after making sure we 
could not get away they withdrew and left us 
alone. 

As the trees to which we were fastened were 
at the edge of the clearing we were seated in a 
sort of circle, facing one another. 

“Well, boys,” said Uncle Naboth, “here’s a 
pretty kettle o’ fish, I must say! The whole crew o’ 
the ‘Flipper,’ officers an’ men an’ supercargo, has 
been caught like so many turtles, an’ turned on 
their backs; an’ all we can do is to kick and wish 
we had our legs agin.” 

We all seemed rather ashamed of ourselves. 
Captain Gay heaved a most dismal sigh, and turn¬ 
ing to Acker asked: 

“Who are these people, Bill?” 

“Can’t say, I’m sure, Tom. We rowed up the 
inlet, not expecting any danger, when suddenly 
the whole lot jumped us and made us prisoners in 
the wink of an eye. They brought us before a red 
devil called the Major, who pumped us to find 


ioo 


The Major 


out how many men were aboard ship. When we 
refused to give them any information they* 
brought us to this place, and here we’ve been ever 
since, fast bound and half starved, for I guess 
the fellows haven’t much to eat themselves.” 

“How did they come here?” asked my uncle. 

“Really, sir,” replied Acker, “they haven’t 
told us one word about themselves.” 

“Fer my part,” said Ned Britton, speaking in 
his deliberate manner, “I think these pirates has 
been spyin’ on us ever since we anchored in the 
bay. They must have a path over the mountains 
that we don’t know of, for when the mate come, 
up the inlet in the gig they was ready an’ waitin’ 
for him, and he didn’t have a chance to resist. 
’Twere the same with me, sir. I crep’ along the 
edge o’ the channel, goin’ slow an’ swingin’ my¬ 
self from tree to tree over the gulch—for the trees 
was too thick to get between ’em—until I come 
to this here place, where two men grabbed me an’ 
knocked me down an’ tied me up like a pig sent to 
market. The Major were with ’em, and swore 
he’d murder me if I didn’t tell him how many 
more were aboard the ship, an’ what her cargo 

IOI 


Sam Steele’s Adventures 


was, an’ where we are bound for, an’ a dozen 
other things. But I kep’ mum, sir, as were my 
duty, an’ finally they brung me to this place, 
where I was mighty glad to find the mate and his 
men safe and sound.” 

We then related our own anxiety over the fate 
of those who had so mysteriously disappeared, 
and our final expedition in search of them. 

“We've found you, all right,” said Uncle 
Naboth, in conclusion; “but now the question is, 
what’s goin’ to become of us, an’ what shall we 
do to escape from these blamed pirates that’s 
captured us?” 

“Before you answer that question,” said a 
quiet voice, “it may be as well for you to listen 
to what I have to say.” 

We looked up and saw the great form of the 
Major standing in the clearing. How much of 
our conversation he had overheard we did not 
know; but after a lowering glance into our startled 
faces he calmly seated himself in the midst of the 
circle. 

“Thirteen, all told,” he said. “You seem 
shorthanded, for so big a schooner.” 


102 


The Major 


“We lost three men in the storm/’ said Uncle 
Naboth. 

‘‘What are you, the owner?” asked the Major. 

“Part owner.” 

“What is your cargo ?” 

“Mixed,” replied Uncle Naboth, non-com- 
mitally. 

The Major reflected a moment. 

“We shall soon find out all we wish to know,” 
he said. “We have both your boats, and we can 
examine the ship for ourselves.” 

“I s’pose you know this is a hangin’ matter ?” 
suggested my uncle. 

“It may be,” was the calm reply. “At any 
rate, it is illegal, and I regret that circumstances 
force us to act illegally with you. As a matter of 
fact, I wish that I might have treated you with 
more courtesy. But you had no business to come 
to this island, and having come here, and sur¬ 
prised our great secret by penetrating into the 
center of the land, you must take the consequences 
of your folly. We did not want you here, and we 
kept out of your way as long as you would let 
103 


Sam Steele’s Adventures, 


us. When you invaded our private domain we 
were forced to protect ourselves.” 

“I don’t understand,” said my uncle, much 
puzzled by this speech. “We’re no robbers, ner 
pirates. We’re peaceful citizens of the United 
States.” 

“So are we,” retorted the Major. “But we’re 
also the creatures of fate, and our condition here 
forces us to wage warfare upon any who intrude 
into our privacy.” 

“We put in here for repairs, an’ it was natural 
we should want to explore the island,” returned 
my uncle, doggedly. 

The Major appeared lost in thought. For 
several minutes he sat staring at the ground with 
a great frown wrinkling his brow. For our part, 
we watched him curiously, wondering the while 
what would be the outcome of the queer condi¬ 
tion in which we found ourselves. Finally* the 
man spoke: 

“Under the circumstances,” said he, “there 
are but two courses open to us. One is to murder 
every man of you, and bury you underneath the 
sands. I imagine you would be safe there, and 
104 


The Major 


not a soul on earth would ever know what had 
become of you.” 

I shuddered. The soft tones could not dis¬ 
guise the horror of the words. 

“The alternative,” continued the Major, “is 
to swear you to secrecy, to induce you to work 
for us for fair wages, and finally to sail back with 
you in your ship to San Francisco, where we may 
part good friends.” 

The contrast between these propositions was 
so great that we stared at the man in amazement. 

“If we are to take our choice,” said Uncle 
Naboth, “it won’t be the grave under the sands, 
you may be sure.” 

“The choice does not lie with you, but with 
my men,” returned the Major, coolly. “For my 
part, I am neither bloodthirsty nor inclined to 
become a murderer; so I shall use my influence 
in your behalf.” 

With this he slowly rose to his feet and stalked 
from the clearing, leaving us to reflections that 
were not entirely comfortable. 

The hours passed drearily enough. Toward 
evening some of the men brought us a few moldy 
105 


Sam Steele’s Adventures 

ship’s biscuits and a bucket ~of sweet drinking 
water, and after partaking of this we were left t® 
ourselves until the next daybreak. 

As it grew dusk Nux suddenly rose'from his 
seat, and we saw that he was free.. In some way 
he had managed to slip his bonds, and he passed 
quickly from one to another of us until we were 
all released from the dreadful ropes that had been 
chafing us. 

Then a council of war was held. Qur captors 
numbered about thirty, and all were fully armed. 
To attempt to oppose them openly would be mad¬ 
ness; but if we could manage to slip away and 
regain our boats we should be able to reach our 
ship and so escape. Bryonia agreed to spy out 
our surroundings and see where the boats lay, so 
he fell upon all fours and silently crept from the 
clearing. 

We awaited his return with impatience, but 
he was not gone long. He re-entered the clearing 
walking upright and indifferent to crackling 
twigs, and then we knew our case was hopeless. 

“Dere’s men sleepin’ in de boats, an’ men on 
watch,” said he; “an’ dey all has swords an’ pis- 
106 


The Major 

tols. Can’t get away anyhow, Mars Perkins.” 

“How about the woods?” asked my uncle. 
“Can’t we escape through them?” 

Bry shook his head, decisively. He was an 
expert woodsman, and declared no man could 
penetrate the thick jungle that hemmed us in. 
Ned Britten also bore testimony to this fact; so 
we were obliged to sadly abandon any hope of 
escape, and stretched ourselves as comfortably as 
we might upon the ground to await the approach 
of morning. 

With the first streaks of day the Major and 
a dozen of his men arrived, and without appear¬ 
ing to notice that we had slipped our bonds they 
drove us in a pack from the clearing and out upon 
the sands that bordered the inlet. 

Here we saw others of our captors busy pre¬ 
paring breakfast before the entrances to the rude 
huts, and it was evident that they were using the 
provisions they had captured from us, for I 
scented the aroma of the coffee that Uncle Na¬ 
both was so proud of, and carried with him 
wherever he went. 

We gathered before the hut of the Major, 
107 


Sam Steele’s Adventures 


which was somewhat larger than the others, and 
then the leader said, in a tone of stern command: 
‘Take off your clothes”. 

We hesitated, not quite understanding the 
purpose of the order. 

“Strip, my boys,” said another of the pirates, 
with a grin. “We want your togs. We drew cuts 
for ’em last night, and now we’ll trade you our 
rags for ’em.” 

So we stripped and tossed our clothes upon 
the ground, where they were eagerly seized by 
the outlaws and donned with great satisfaction. 
The Major did not participate in this robbery; 
but, indeed, no garment that we wore could pos¬ 
sibly have fitted his huge frame. 

When we had put on the rags discarded by 
the others we were a curious looking lot, you may 
be sure. Uncle Naboth had a fit of silent merri¬ 
ment at my expense, but if he could have seen 
himself I am sure he would have choked and sput¬ 
tered dangerously. A more disreputable appear¬ 
ance than that we now presented would be hard 
to imagine; but our enemies did not profit so 
greatly by the exchange, after all, for the gar- 
108 


The Major 


ments fitted them as badly as theirs did us. How¬ 
ever, they seemed very proud of their acquisition, 
and strutted around like so many vain peacocks. 


109 


CHAPTER VIII. 


THE SANDS OF GOLD. 

The sun had now arisen and flooded the scene 
with its glorious rays. We were given some of 
the coffee and a scant allowance of food for our 
breakfast, the care with which the latter was 
doled out being evidence that our captors did 
not know that the “Flipper” was loaded down 
with provisions. 

As soon as the meal was concluded we all 
gathered around the Major’s hut again, and he 
began to make us an address. 

“At the conference held last evening,” he be¬ 
gan, in his smooth tone, “we decided to allow you 
to choose your own fate. It is death on the one 
hand, and life as our paid employees on the other. 
What do you say?” 

“We’d like to know, sir,” said Uncle Naboth, 
“what you are doing on this island ?” 

“Washing gold.” 


no 



The Sands of Gold 


“Gold!” 

“To be sure/’ said the Major. “Are you so 
ignorant that you cannot see that these sands 
upon which you are standing are wonderfully 
rich in gold?” 

“Why, I hadn’t noticed,” said my uncle, and 
then we all curiously stared at the bright billows 
of sand that filled the beach on both sides of the 
inlet. 

“It will do no harm to explain to you how we 
came here, and what we are doing,” said the 
Major. “It will help you to make your decision.” 

“Seems like a queer place to look for gold,” 
said Uncle Naboth, reflectively. “But even then 
I can’t see why you’ve treated us like you have, 
or why you’re so blamed secret about the thing.” 

“Can’t you?” was the reply. “Then I must 
jog your reason with a few sensible suggestions. 
Every gold field yet discovered has been a magnet 
to draw men from every part of the civilized 
world. The result has been that the first dis¬ 
coverers seldom profit to any extent, while the 
horde they draw around them get the lion’s share. 
That has been our experience time and time again, 


hi 


Sam Steele’s Adventures 


for every member of our band is an experienced 
miner. We’ve been crowded from Colorado to 
Idaho, from Idaho to California, from California 
to the Black Hills, and back again. Finally we 
got word of a rich find of gold in Alaska; so, 
banding together, we chartered an old ship and 
started for the Yukon. On the way we encount¬ 
ered a gale that blew us to this island. We don’t 
know what island it is, and we don’t care. While 
our vessel was undergoing repairs we rowed up 
the inlet, as you did, and discovered these sands, 
which are marvelously rich with grains of pure 
gold. Before your eyes, gentlemen, lies the great¬ 
est natural accumulation of gold the world has 
ever known.” 

He paused, after this impressive statement, 
and again we looked around wonderingly. 

“We can’t get it all, that’s true,” resumed the 
Major; “but we have decided to stay here and de¬ 
fend our secret until each one of us has secured 
an independent fortune. Then the swarms of 
gold-hunters can settle here as thickly as they 
please. Of course we had our tools with us, and 
a good supply of provisions; so we were glad to 


112 


The Sands of Gold 


let Alaska take care of itself and go to work wash¬ 
ing out the wealth that lay at our feet. We knew 
the food wouldn’t last till we were ready to leave 
here, so we decided to send the ship home for 
more provisions. The captain was bound to se¬ 
crecy by promise of a big share for himself, but 
soon after he sailed away a great storm arose, and 
probably the old, leaky craft never weathered it, 
for that was over a year ago, and no ship has 
reached this harbor until yours appeared.” 

We listened to this recital with eager interest, 
for it explained much that had puzzled us. And 
Uncle Naboth remarked: 

“It’s a strange story, sir. But I don’t see why 
you treated us as enemies when we came here.” 

“Suppose you had been prospectors, like our¬ 
selves. What would become of our secret then?” 

“But we’re not,” was the reply. 

“It was even possible our captain might have 
reached shore and betrayed us. In that case you 
might be the forerunners of an army of invaders. 
We couldn’t take the chances, sir. We’ve been 
disappointed too many times. But it appears that 
you were merely the victims of the elements, and 
113 


Sam Steele’s Adventures 


like ourselves were driven to this shore in a gale. 
So the only danger to be feared from you is your 
getting away before we're ready to go with you. 
That was why we hesitated between murdering 
you and using your services to enable us to ac¬ 
complish our task sooner than we otherwise 
could. We are not cut-throats, believe me, nor 
do we care to be responsible for the death of so 
many decent men. But the lust for gold has 
made my fellows desperate, and with immense 
fortunes within their grasp they will stick at 
nothing to protect themselves and their treasure." 

“That’s only natural," growled Uncle Na¬ 
both. 

“I’m glad to find you so reasonable,’’ said the 
Major. “Having discovered this field ourselves, 
we do not intend to share the gold with anyone; 
but we will make you a reasonable proposition. 
We will pay each one of you two dollars a day, 
in grains of gold, for your labor, and you must 
buckle to and help us to get out the gold. We 
will also pay you, in gold, for whatever provisions 
you have on your ship, or other supplies we may 
need. And when we have enough to satisfy our- 
114 


The Sands of Gold 


selves, and are ready to sail back to civilization, 
we will pay you a reasonable price for passage 
in your ship. That seems to me to be fair and 
square. What do you say ?” 

“Why,” answered Uncle Naboth, with a gasp, 
'‘that’s all we could look for if we got to Alaska. 
We’re traders, sir, an’ expect to make our money 
in trade. The only thing we object to is workin’ 
like dogs to wash gold for somebody else.” 

“You’ll have to put up with that objection,” 
returned the man, dryly. “Your labor will shorten 
our stay here a full year, and it’s the penalty you 
must suffer for being in our power.” 

My uncle turned to his crew. 

“What do you say, boys?” he asked. 

Some grumbled, and all looked grave; but a 
glance at the lowering faces of the miners assured 
them that discretion was the better part of valor, 
so they yielded a reluctant consent to the arrange¬ 
ment. 

“There’s one p’int, howsomever, as I should 
like to argufy,” said Uncle Naboth. “This here 
lad’s too small an’ delicate to work at the washin’, 
an’ somebody’s got to give out the provisions an’ 
115 


Sam Steele’s Adventures 


collect the pay for ’em. Let him out o’ the deal, 
sir, an’ make him clerk o’ the supplies.” 

“I will agree to that,” said the Major, 
promptly. “When we get back to the States we 
don’t want to have anything against our record; 
so this bargain shall be kept faithfully on our side. 
I’ll prepare a paper, which every man here must 
sign, stating that you accept the agreement freely 
and without compulsion, and will be satisfied with 
your wages and the payment for your groceries 
and supplies. Also you must each one take an 
oath not to betray to anyone the whereabouts of 
this island after you leave it, for it will be a valu¬ 
able possession to us even after we’ve taken 
enough gold from it to make us rich. Meantime 
you’ll be well treated, but carefully watched. To 
some extent you’ll be, morally, our prisoners; but 
the only hardship you will suffer is to labor hard 
for a few months at a small salary.” 

“That’s agreeable, sir,” said my uncle; and 
the men accepted the arrangement with more or 
less grace. 

Then the conference broke up. Our sailors, 
as well as Captain Gay, the mate and my uncle, 
116 


The Sands of Gold 


were at once set to work washing gold on the 
banks of the inlet, their numbers being distributed 
among the miners, who showed them what to do 
and supervised the work. It appeared that all 
the gold gathered by our people was to go into 
a common pot, to be distributed equally among 
pur captors; but each miner worked for himself 
alone, and was entitled to whatever he secured. 
In this way a premium was set upon individual in¬ 
dustry, and they worked eagerly and persistently, 
at the same time insisting that the “Flipper’s” 
crew did not loiter. 

The Major, whose influence over his rough 
comrades was undoubted, retired within his tent 
to draft the paper we were to sign, and I, left to 
my own devices, wandered here and there, watch¬ 
ing the men and wondering what would be the 
outcome of this singular adventure. 

At noon the paper was ready, and it set forth 
clearly and fairly the terms of the agreement. 
We were all required to sign it, as well as every 
miner in the camp, and then the Major took 
possession of it, there being no duplicate. 

After the midday meal six of our sailors were 

. ll 7 


Sam Steele’s Adventures 


selected to man the long boat, and then accom¬ 
panied by the Major, who was fully armed, and 
by myself, they rowed down the inlet to the har¬ 
bor, and we boarded the ship. 

I selected such of the provisions as were most 
needed by the half starved miners, and also car¬ 
ried away a number of blankets, as the nights 
were chill and the blankets would prevent much 
suffering. 

Two trips we made that afternoon, and when 
the miners stopped work for the day I had quite 
a heap of groceries piled upon the sands. In¬ 
stantly they surrounded me, clamoring for sup¬ 
plies, which I served to each man as he demanded 
them. 

They paid me in grains of pure gold, which 
they drew from sacks, old stockings tied with a 
string, and even pockets cut from their clothing. 
How much to demand I did not know, and some 
paid me too much, I suppose, and some too little. 
One of them, a low browed, black bearded fel¬ 
low called Larkin, obtained a quantity of goods 
and then said he would pay me some other time; 
but the Major insisted that I be paid then and 
118 


The Sands of Gold 


there. So the man laid down a pinch of gold,* 
saying it was enough, and I was about to accept 
it when the Major drew his revolver and said,, 
quietly. 

“This is a fair deal, Larkin. Shell out!” 

The fellow uttered a string of angry oaths, 
but he added to his first offering until his leader 
was satisfied, and then went away vowing “to get 
even with the robbers.” 

To avoid further trouble, I brought a small 
pair of scales from the ship next day. They were 
not very accurate, I fear, but they were much bet¬ 
ter than guesswork. The Major and I figured 
out exactly what weight of gold should stand for 
a dollar, and I was allowed to put my own price 
on our supplies; but I took care not to be ex- 
horbitant in my demands, and most of the men 
expressed themselves as well satisfied with the 
arrangement. 

As a good share of the provisions would suf¬ 
fer by being left out in the night air, it was de¬ 
cided to build a warehouse for my use: “a reg’lar 
grocery store,” Uncle Naboth described it; so 
the men all set to work, and under the direction 
119 


Sam Steele’s Adventures 


of our ship’s carpenter soon constructed a roomy; 
and comfortable hut for this purpose. By re¬ 
peated trips to the ship in the long boat, I soon 
accumulated a good stock of everything our 
cargo represented, and by taking off the covers 
of the boxes and then piling them on their edges, 
in rows, I soon made my hut look like a prosper¬ 
ous mercantile establishment. Surplus and un¬ 
opened boxes were utilized to form a counter in 
front of my stock, and here I placed my scales 
and weighed the gold that was offered in pay¬ 
ment. 

The men were as prodigal as all miners are, 
and denied themselves nothing so long as they 
had gold to pay for it. So my stock gradually in¬ 
creased in gold and diminished in merchandise, 
and the men were well fed and comfortable. 

But the sands upon which we so carelessly 
trod were wonderfully rich in the precious metal, 
and any sort of industry was sure to be repaid 
enormously by the glittering grains scattered 
about. It was not dust, you understand, but tiny 
grains resembling those of granulated sugar. The 
richest yield was derived from the sands at the 


120 


The Sands of Gold 


bottom of the shallow inlet, and the practice of 
the miners was to wade a little way into the 
stream, scoop up a basin off the sandy bottom and 
wash it until only the specks of sparkling metal 
remained. As it was difficult to care for this 
properly, I brought from the ship a quantity of 
sail-cloth, which I made, during my leisure mo¬ 
ments, into stout bags, about the size of salt- 
sacks, sewing the seams firmly. These bags I sold 
readily to the miners, who, when they filled one, 
would usually bury it beneath the sand in their 
hut, so that it would be safe. I did not do this 
with my supply, however, but piled my sacks into 
an empty box in one corner of my grocery store, 
feeling sure there would be no theft of them in 
the confines of our little camp. Neither did the 
Major secrete his hoard, which lay plainly in 
sight of anyone who entered his hut; and the Ma¬ 
jor’s store of gold was enormous because he took 
charge of all that our men washed out, until the 
time for final division should arrive. 

There was no game of any sort, that we knew 
of, upon the island; but the men caught plenty of 
fish in the upper part of the inlet and in the bay 
121 


Sam Steele’s Adventures 

upon the ocean frontage. The thickets surround¬ 
ing our camp were considered absolutely impen¬ 
etrable, on account of the underbrush and creep¬ 
ing vines that formed such a thick network at the 
foot of the trees. Yet there was a man named 
Daggett who, it was rumored, had found a way 
to traverse the forest with comparative ease. 

This Daggett was quite a remarkable person, 
and enters now into my story. 

He was a thin, withered little man, about fifty 
years of age, who had been an unsuccessful miner 
all his life until now. So eager was he, at first, 
to take advantage of the great opportunities here 
afforded to secure a fortune, that he would work 
by moonlight washing gold, while his compan¬ 
ions slept and rested from their labors. But soon 
he conceived an idea that these golden sands were 
deposited from some point in the mountains of 
the interior of the island, where solid gold 
abounded in enormous quantities. So he quit 
washing, and began a search for the imaginary 
“mountain of gold,” cutting a secret path through 
the thicket to the more open interior, and passing 
day after day in his eager quest. At first he urged 


122 


The Sands of Gold 


some of his comrades to join him, but they only 
laughed at his idea, being well content to obtain 
the coveted gold in an easy way, where it lay 
plainly before their eyes. 

But Daggett did not desist, spending day after 
day in roaming through the wild hills in his fruit¬ 
less search. During the time he lost in this way 
his mates were accumulating a vast store of golden 
grains, while Daggett was as yet only in posses¬ 
sion of the result of his first eager labors; and 
after I opened my grocery store he was obliged to 
exchange pinches of his small substance for sup¬ 
plies, so that it gradually dwindled away to a 
mere nothing. He haggled so over the price of 
every article he secured that his fellows jeered 
him unmercifully, calling him “the miser” and 
berating him for neglecting his opportunities. In¬ 
deed, the poor fellow was well-nigh desperate, at 
the last, for he alone of all the camp was still 
poor, and his only salvation, he considered, was to 
find the hills of solid gold before the time came for 
all to abandon the island. So he was gone for 
days, returning to camp to secure provisions; and 
no one knew where he wandered or seem to care. 

123 


CHAPTER IX. 


THE OUTLAWS. 

There were many curious characters at the 
camp, as I suppose there are everywhere that a 
number of men are gathered together. I used 
to amuse myself studying the various phases of 
human nature that came under my observation, 
with the result that some men attracted me and 
some repelled me. 

Aside from the miserly Daggett the man who 
caused me the most trouble was the surly, scowl¬ 
ing Larkin, whom the Major had threatened to 
shoot on sight if he did not pay me for everything 
he obtained at my shop. He was a lazy fellow, 
and did not seem to get ahead as fast as his com¬ 
panions, for that reason. Sometimes, in the heat 
of the afternoon, he would strike work and come 
into my hut, where he threatened and bullied me 
and cast longing glances at the sacks of gold I 
had accumulated. Uncle Naboth, who, by the 
124 



The Outlaws 


way, labored doggedly day after day, as he was 
commanded, often warned me against Larkin, 
but I had no fears, being assured the Major would 
protect me from the villain's hatred. 

One or two others—Hayes and Judson, for 
instance—were evidently disreputable characters, 
and affected the society of Larkin when they were 
not at work. But in the main the miners were 
decent enough fellows, and seemed to have no 
thought above securing a fortune from the wealth 
of the golden sands. They paid me liberally, 
were just in their dealings, and labored indus¬ 
triously day by day so as to lessen the time of 
their captivity upon the island. 

In the evenings the officers and crew of the 
“Flipper” were wont to gather in my hut, where 
they smoked their pipes and conversed more or 
less gloomily together. None of them, however, 
was greatly distressed at his fate, and it was won¬ 
derful how cheerful Uncle Naboth remained 
through it all. His silent merriment and sly winks 
were by no means lacking in these days of tribu¬ 
lations and hard work, and he found many oppor¬ 
tunities to exercise his keen sense of humor. In 


Sam Steele’s Adventures 


one way his fortunes were really prospering, and 
each evening he weighed out the day’s receipts, in 
golden grains, and calculated the profits to us on 
the sales. I suppose these must have been satis- 
, factory, for he never complained. 

I always slept in my hut, surrounded by the 
store of merchandise and my sacks of gold; but 
the rest of the crew of the ship had huts of their 
own, Nux and Bryonia occupying one together. 

One night, after I had been asleep for some 
hours, I was suddenly awakened by the muzzle 
of a pistol pressed close to my forehead. I 
opened my eyes, and saw Larkin standing beside 
me. A tallow candle had been lighted in the hut, 
and I could see his evil features distinctly. 

“Now, my lad,” said he, “keep quiet an’ you 
won’t get hurt. But if you raise any rumpus or 
make a sound, I’ll blow your brains out.” 

So I lay quiet, but I kept my eyes open and 
eagerly watched what was taking place in the 
room. Besides Larkin, there were present Dag¬ 
gett, Judson and Hayes—the worst characters in 
the camp. While Larkin remained beside me to 
threaten me with his pistol, the others spread out 
126 


The Outlaws 


a blanket and dumped into it every sack of gold 
I possessed. This they secured by tying the cor¬ 
ners of the blanket together. Next they spread 
another blanket and threw into it a quantity of 
canned meats and other provisions, afterwards 
tying them up as they had the gold. Then Hayes 
took the pistol and stood guard over me while 
the others crept from the hut. They were back 
in a few minutes, however, bearing another blan¬ 
ket heavily loaded. And now Larkin resumed his 
place beside me and the others caught up the three 
parcels and after extinguishing the candle slipped 
out of the doorway. There was a moon outside, 
I knew, but it was quite dark in the hut, and the 
consciousness of being at the mercy of the 
scoundrel beside me sent sold shivers creeping up 
my spine. 

After waiting a few moments in silence Lar¬ 
kin spoke. 

“Look a-here, Sam,” he said gruffly, but in a 
low voice, “we’ve took some gold and other stuff, 
as ye know; but we ain’t goin’ to do murder un¬ 
less we has to. If you’ve got sense enough to 
keep still for a solid hour, an’ make no fuss, you’ll 
127 


Sam Steele’s Adventures 

live to get as much gold, or more, as we’ve just 
grabbed. But if you try to raise the camp, or fol- 
ler us, I’ll kill you before you know it. Now, I’m 
goin’ to stand outside the door for a solid hour— 
you lay still an’ count sixty seconds to a minute 
an’ sixty minutes to an hour. If you move be¬ 
fore that, you’re a dead one; after the hour ye 
can howl all ye please, and the louder the better. 
I ought to stick a knife into you now; but I guess 
I’ll wait outside the door, an’ see if you mind 
what I tell you.” 

Then with a threatening flourish of his pistol, 
he slunk away, and as soon as he was outside the 
door I rose up and followed. 

I knew he was lying, well enough, and that his 
threats were merely meant to terrify me into keep¬ 
ing silent until he escaped. He considered me a 
mere boy, and believed I would be too frightened 
to cause him any trouble. 

But where could he and his fellow thieves go ? 
How could they penetrate the wild thicket ? That 
was the question that puzzled me. And then I 
remembered that Daggett was with them, who 
128 


The Outlaws 


was reputed to be able to travel at will through¬ 
out the interior of the island. 

When I reached the door and looked around 
I could at first see no signs of the man who had 
just left me. Then I discovered a dark form 
creeping along the edge of the jungle, and at once 
I sprang into the shade myself and crept after 
him. He was going slowly, and in my eagerness 
I closed up most of the distance between us, until 
I was dangerously near. But he did not look 
around, and while my eyes were fastened upon 
him he dropped to his knees, pushed aside a thick 
bush, and disappeared into the thicket. 

That was all the information I wanted, just 
‘ then; so I hastily marked the place by heaping a 
mound of sand before the bush, and then ran back 
to my hut as fast as I could go. I was terribly 
humiliated at being robbed so coolly of the gold 
that had been placed in my care, and rashly re¬ 
solved that I would recover it by my own efforts, 
without disturbing the slumbers of my uncle or 
the Major. So, entering the hut, I secured three 
revolvers, of the Colt type, and several boxes of 
cartridges for them, all of which I had secretly 
129 


Sam Steele’s Adventures 


smuggled from the ship and hidden among the 
groceries, for the Major had forbidden any of our 
crew having fire-arms. I had thought that an 
emergency might arise, some time, when these 
revolvers would be useful to us, and now I blessed 
my foresight in secreting them. 

Having secured the weapons I ran quickly 
to the hut of Nux and Bryonia, and cautiously 
awakened them. At my first touch Bry sprang 
into the air and alighted on his feet. 

“What’s matter, Mars Sam?” he demanded. 

“I’ve been robbed, Bry!” I panted. 

“Robbed!” echoed Nux, who was now beside 
us. 

“Yes; Larkin and his gang have taken every 
bag of our dust.” 

Through the dim light I could see their white 
eyeballs glaring at me in amazement. 

“What you goin’ do, Mars. Sam?” asked 
Bry. 

“I’m going to give chase, and make the ras¬ 
cals give it back. That is, if you will be my 
friends, and stand by me,” I said. “By daybreak 
every bag must be in my hut again.” 

130 


The Outlaws 


“Sure ’nough,” murmered Nux. 

“We ready, Mars Sam,” announced Bry, 
quickly. 

“Then take these revolvers, and follow me.” 

I gave a weapon to each, having hastily loaded 
them; and then I turned away, followed by the 
dark forms of the two Sulus. 

“They’re thieves, you know; burglars and 
outlaws,” I said. “So if we have to shoot them 
down, no one can blame us.” 

They made no answer to this remark, and 
soon we had left the camp behind and reached 
the bush underneath which Larkin had disap¬ 
peared. In a low voice I related what I had seen, 
and Bryonia, who was a master of woodcraft, at 
once dropped to his knees and vanished into the 
thicket. I followed closely after him, and Nux 
brought up the rear. After creeping a few paces 
through the underbrush Bry grasped my hand 
and raised me to my feet, and I discovered that 
we were now in a well-defined but narrow path 
w'hich allowed us to stand upright. 

It was dark as pitch in the grim forest, and 
we could only feel our way along; but it was not 

131 


Sam Steele’s Adventures 


possible for us to get off the path, which had 
doubtless been cut by Daggett to afford his en¬ 
trance into the interior of the island, and if our 
progress was slow those whom we pursued could 
not proceed at much greater speed themselves; 
so we crept along, stumbling over roots and tear¬ 
ing our clothes by brushing against the briars on 
either side, for a period of nearly an hour. Bry¬ 
onia glided before us as stealthily as a panther, 
and often I was not certain but that he had left 
us far behind; but Nux made as much noise as I 
did, and puffed much harder to get his breath, 
so I did not fear being abandoned in the black 
wilderness. 

The ground seemed to rise gradually as we 
penetrated into the wild interior, but the path re¬ 
mained as narrow as at first. Now that my first 
excitement and indignation had cooled, this mid¬ 
night pursuit began to look doubtful of result. 
The robbers knew the way much better than we 
did, and they were so far ahead of us that we 
heard no sound of any sort to guide us. More 
than once I was tempted to abandon the chase, 
for my folly in undertaking it grew more and 
13 2 


The Outlaws 


more evident; but the two blacks had no thought 
of turning back, and I was ashamed to call a halt. 

Suddenly I ran plump into Bryonia, who 
grasped my arm as firmly as if it were in a 
vice, and held me rigid. Nux immediately ran 
into me, but stopped short at the moment of con¬ 
tact. 

“What is it, Bry?” I asked, in a whisper. 

“Look!” he answered, and swung me around 
in front of him. Then, as I peered into the dark¬ 
ness, a faint ray of light became visible. In a 
moment I perceived that it was growing bigger 
and brighter, and then I knew what it meant. 

“They’ve gone into camp, and lit a fire!” said 
I, pleased to have overtaken them. 

“Dey do’n’ know we’s coming,” chuckled 
Nux, from behind. 

But Bry stood like a statue, holding fast to 
my shoulders and peering over my head at the 
enemy. We could now see that the forest was. 
much thinner here than at the point we had en¬ 
tered, and just beyond, in a little hollow where 
Larkin and his men were encamped, the trees 
grew quite scattered. 


133 


Sam Steele’s Adventures 


“Our best plan/’ said I, after a moment's 
thought, “will be to creep up to them and make a 
sudden attack." 

“One, two, free, fou’,” counted Bry, in his 
deep voice. “No use to ’tack, Mars. Sam. Dey 
got guns, an’ kill us all quick.’’ 

“We have our revolvers,’’ I suggested, rather 
disappointed at his prediction. 

“Nux an’ I might hit somefin’, an’ we might 
not,’’ said Bry. “If we hit somefin’ it might be 
a man, an’ it might not.’’ 

This was discouraging, and it called to mind 
the fact that I was not much used to fire-arms 
myself. 

“Still, I don’t mean to go back without doing 
something to recover our gold,’’ said I. 

“Wait!’’ whispered the black, and swung me 
around back of him again. How he managed this 
I do not know, for the path was very narrow. 
Next moment he disappeared, as if the earth had 
swallowed him up. 

Nux gave a laugh, and sat down upon the 
ground. After a few moments I followed suit, 
squatting in the place I had been standing, for 
134 


The Outlaws 


even from that distance I could see by the flicker¬ 
ing firelight the dim forms of the robbers gathered 
around it. 

And now I perceived that Bry’s decision was 
wise. We were too far from camp to expect as¬ 
sistance in case of an emergency, even if our 
friends succeeded in finding the entrance to the 
jungle that was so cleverly concealed under the 
bush. So whatever was to be done must be done 
by ourselves—a boy and two black men against 
four desperate and 1 well-armed villains, who would 
stop at no crime to retain the gold they had stolen. 

Evidently they did not fear pursuit now, for 
we could hear the murmur of their voices as they 
laughed and shouted at one another. 

We waited in silence for a long time, and as 
the gloom of the silent forest became intensified 
by the distant light I began to feel for the first 
time a thrill that was akin to fear. 

Finally I noticed a black body wriggling its 
way toward us through the brush like some huge 
snake, and a moment later Bryonia stood before 

"I creep close an’ hear what dey say, Mars 
135 


me. 


Sam Steele’s Adventures 


Sam/’ he reported. “Dey goin’ watch all night. 
I watch, too. Tomorrow maybe we catch ’em. 
You an’ Nux go sleep.” 

I protested at once that I was not sleepy; but 
Bry led us away from the path to a quiet place 
where he had found a bank of moss, and here he 
cautioned us to remain quietly. He himself crept 
once again toward the camp fire, and a moment 
later was wholly invisible. Nux whispered to me 
tales of Bryonia’s skill as a woodsman, wherein it 
seemed he had excelled in his native land; but 
they grew monotonous, in time, and before I 
knew it I had fallen fast asleep on the mossy bank. 


136 


CHAPTER X. 


THE ROCKING STONE. 

When I opened my eyes it was broad daylight, 
and at first I could not remember where I was. 
But as I sat up I saw before me Nux and Bryonia, 
seated calmly side by side, with the wilderness all 
around me and the distant voices of the robbers 
echoing faintly in my ears. The sun was up, for 
I could see it glinting through the trees; so, as a 
recollection of my surroundings came back to me, 
I asked Bry what was going on. 

He said the men were breaking camp, having 
slept late, and that presently they were going to 
travel still further into the interior. I could not 
imagine what they had in view, or where they 
expected to hide from the vengeance of the men 
they had plundered; but Bry declared we could 
follow them without ourselves being seen, so I 
decided not to give up until we had tracked them 
to their hiding place—if, indeed, they had one. 
137 



Sam Steele’s Adventures 


Presently we could see them tramping away 
to the southward, carrying the gold and pro¬ 
visions they had tied up in the blankets. There 
must have been two or three hundredweight of 
the gold, so the packages were heavy, and they 
had to take turns carrying them. But men seldom 
feel overburdened by the weight of gold, so we 
heard no complaints from the bearers. 

Bry went on alone, hiding behind rocks and 
trees but keeping the men well in sight. After 
him trailed Nux, keeping Bry in sight; and then, 
as far away as I dared, I followed Nux, trying to 
imitate the example of the blacks and to hide 
myself as well as possible. 

Before noon I grew hungry, for we had 
brought no provisions of any sort with us. The 
robbers paused to lunch, and then went on; but, 
although I searched carefully, I could not find a 
morsel of food that they had cast aside.- Of water 
there was plenty, for we crossed several small 
streams; but food began to be more precious than 
gold to me, and I vaguely wondered if I should 
die of starvation before I got back to camp. 

At evening the men made camp again, this 
138 


The Rocking-Stone 

time in a little clearing strewn with fallen logs; 
and when Bry rejoined me in a clump of trees 
where Nux and I had halted, I told him frankly 
that I was faint with hunger, and that unless I 
could find something to eat I could not go on. I 
have no doubt the blacks were hungry, too; but 
they were more inured to hardship, and could 
bear it better. 

But Bry volunteered to try to secure some 
food, and as soon as darkness had fallen he crept 
toward the camp, managing to approach to within 
five yards of the camp fire, around which the rob¬ 
bers sat smoking and talking. He was concealed 
by a huge log, behind which he hid, listening care¬ 
fully to the conversation, which he afterward re¬ 
tailed to me. 

“So far,” Larkin was saying, “we couldn’t 
have done better. By this time I guess we’re 
pretty safe from pursuit.” 

“No one could find their way here in a year,” 
boasted Daggett, his lean face grinning with de¬ 
light. “I’m the only man on the island as knows 
the trails.” 

“Are you sure you can lead us to that queer 
139 


Sam Steele’s Adventures 


rock you tell of?” asked Judson, a little uneasily. 

“Sure. And once there, we could defy an 
army,” returned Daggett. “Then we can make 
our raft, row out to where the ship is, and sail 
away home.” 

Larkin gave a rude laugh, ending it with an 
oath. 

“There’ll be some tall cussin’ in the camp,” 
he said. 

“Major’ll be crazy,” assented Daggett. 

“I swiped every grain o’ gold he had, while 
he lay a-snorin’,” chuckled Hayes, a big ruffian 
who was called “Dandy Pete,” in derision, be¬ 
cause he was so rough and unkempt. “Pity we 
couldn’t ’a’ got all there was in camp.” 

“There’s enough to make us all rich, my boys, 
anyhow,” remarked Larkin. “It’s nearly broke 
my back, luggin’ of it, an’ there’s only four of us 
to divide.” 

At this they seemed to grow thoughtful, and 
all sat silently smoking for several minutes. 

“What bothers me,” said Judson, breaking the 
silence, “is how we’re to get that blasted ship into 
140 


The Rocking-Stone 

some civilized port. There ain’t a man here as 
knows anything about sailin’.” 

“That’s all right,” said Larkin, confidently. 
“The sun rises in the east, don’t it? Well, all 
we’ve got to do is h’ist the sails and let the wind 
blow us towards the east. Some time or other 
we’ll get to the American continent, and then we 
can run down the coast to ’Frisco. It’s no 
trouble to sail a ship.” 

“We’ve got to get away, somehow,” grumbled 
Judson, “or our gold won’t be of any use to us. 
When are we going to divide?” 

“When we get on the ship,” said Daggett, 
promptly. 

“When we’re at sea will be better,” added 
Larkin. 

They looked at one another suspiciously. 

“It’s got to be a fair divvy,” said Dandy Pete, 
with an oath, “or else there won’t be so many to 
divide up with.” 

“What do you mean by that?” demanded 
Larkin, angrily. 

“I mean I’ll stick a knife in your ribs, if you 
try any trickery with me,” replied Pete, scowling. 
141 


Sam Steele’s Adventures 


“You made the terms yourself, and you’ve got 
to live up to ’em. It’s a quarter each, all around.” 

“That’s wrong!” yelled Daggett, springing to 
his feet. “I’m to have a third, for guiding you. 
If it hadn’t been for me, you couldn’t get away 
with the gold at all.” 

“Who promised you a third?” asked Hayes. 

“Larkin.” 

“Well, let Larkin make it up to you, out of 
his own share. I’m going to have a quarter.” 

“And so am I,” said Judson, fingering his re¬ 
volver. 

Larkin glared at them with a white face. 

“We won’t quarrel about it, boys,” he said, 
after a time. “There’s plenty for all, and we must 
hang together till we’re out of danger. I’ll take 
what you think is right, for my share.” 

“I’ll take my third, an’ no less,” growled Dag¬ 
gett. 

No one looked at him. Each seemed, to be 
busy with his own thoughts. 

Bryonia had chosen this especial log to hide 
behind, because the robbers had placed their sack 
of provisions upon it. While listening to the con- 
142 


The Rocking-Stone 

versation I have recorded, the black had stealthily 
reached up his hand and managed to extract from 
the bundle a tin of corned beef and a handful of 
ship’s biscuits. Then he wriggled carefully away, 
and in a few minutes had rejoined Nux and me, 
where we hid among the trees. 

I think no food has ever tasted quite so de¬ 
licious to me as did that tinned beef and stale 
biscuit. When divided amongst three there was 
little enough in each share, but it sufficed to allay 
our hunger and give us fresh strength and cour¬ 
age. 

After we had eaten, Bry decided to go back 
again for more, since another opportunity to pur¬ 
loin from the bundle of provisions might not be 
offered us. 

As it was very dark by this time, Nux and I 
crept nearer, to where a big rock lay; and here, 
hidden by the deep shadows, we were able to 
distinguish clearly all that transpired around the 
camp fire. 

Bry being between us and the light, we could 
follow his creeping form with our eyes until we 
saw him lying safely hidden behind the log, with 
143 


Sam Steele’s Adventures 


the bundle of food just over him. By this time all 
the robbers had lain down to sleep except Larkin, 
who had taken the watch and sat moodily smoking 
beside the fire, on which he tossed now and then 
a handful of fuel. 

Suddenly, as he looked toward the sack that 
rested upon the log, he saw it move. In an in¬ 
stant a pistol shot rang out, and the robbers 
sprang to their feet with cries of alarm. 

“Somebody’s behind that log!” shouted Lar¬ 
kin, who was himself trembling with fear. 

At once Bryonia arose to his feet, stepped 
over the log, and calmly advanced into the light 
of the fire, holding out his hand in greeting and 
smiling broadly into the angry faces confronting 
him. 

“Don’ shoot poor Bry,” he said, pleadingly. 
“I’se run ’way to j’ine you.” 

“Run away!” exclaimed Larkin, while the 
others looked at the black suspiciously. “Why 
did you do that?” 

“So’s I won’ haf to work any mo’,” answered 
Bry. “Dey’s jest killin’ me in dat camp, luggin* 
bags o’ sand an’ washin’ gold all day.” 

144 


The Rocking-Stone 

“Who came with you?” asked Daggett. 

“Nobody ’t all,” declared Bry. “I seen yo’ 
all leave de camp, an’ so I crep’ along after yo’. 
Wouldn’t have let yo’ know I was here, sure 
’nough, but I got so hungry. I couldn’t stand 
it no longer, so I tried to steal somefin’ to eat, an’ 
Mars Larkin he shot de gun at me.” 

“How did you know we had quit the camp for 
good?” enquired Pete, in a surly tone. 

“Saw you take de gold, suh. So I ’pects yoii 
ain’t cornin’ back agin’, an’ thought I’d jine yo.’ 
If you’ll take me ’long an’ feed me, Mars Hayes, 
I’ll help tote de gold.” 

Bryonia’s statement was so simple that the 
miners were inclined to believe him. Nux and 
I, who had crawled nearer to the fire when the 
pistol shot rang out, could hear distinctly every 
word, and for a moment I was horrified that Bry 
should prove false and desert to the enemy. But 
Nux was chuckling gleefully, and whispered: 
“Dat Bry, he mighty clever boy, Mars Sam!” So 
I began to comprehend that Bry was acting a 
part, with the idea of saving Nux and me from 
T 45 


Sam Steele’s Adventures, 


discovery and ultimately recovering the gold. 
Therefore I kept silent and listened eagerly. 

Evidently the miners were not of one opinion 
concerning the new arrival. 

“Let’s kill the nigger,” said Daggett. “Then 
we won’t run any chances.” 

'“Don’t be a fool,” retorted Larkin. “Bry can 
be useful to us. He’s the cook of the "Flipper’, 
I’m told, and besides helping to carry the gold, he 
can cook our meals when we get to sea, and help 
sail the ship.” 

""If he’s run away from camp, why, he’s one 
of us,” said Judson, yawning and sitting down 
again. ""And if it comes to a fight, he counts for 
one more on our side.” 

""But he don’t get any gold,” added Dandy 
Pete. 

""Not an ounce!” declared Daggett. 

""Don’t want any gold,” said Bry, composedly. 
""Only want to get away.” 

""All right,” decided Larkin. ""You can come 
along. But you’ve got to obey orders, and the 
first time I catch you at any tricks, I’ll put a bul¬ 
let into you.” 


146 


The Rocking-Stone 

Bry grinned from ear to ear, as if he consid¬ 
ered this a good joke, and then he warmed his 
hands over the fire while Judson brought him 
something to eat from the bundle. 

Afterward all lay down to sleep again except 
Larkin, who resumed his watch. It was too soon 
to put any trust in Bry, so the black, having eaten 
his fill, lay down beside the others. 

Nux and I cautiously retreated to the rock, 
and consulted as to what we should do under these 
circumstances. The black man had perfect con¬ 
fidence in his comrade, and proposed that we 
should still, follow the band of robbers and wait 
for Bry to find a way to communicate with us and 
assist us. This seemed reasonable to me, also. 

As we were chilled to the bones in the cold 
night air, Nux suggested that we go into camp 
until morning, and led me a long distance back 
into the woods, where we finally came to a deep 
hollow. Here there would be little danger that a 
fire could be seen by the robbers; so we gathered 
together some twigs, and as I had matches in 
my pocket a fire was soon started that proved 
very grateful to us both. We then agreed to take 
H7 


Sam Steele’s Adventures 

turns watching until daylight, and while Nux 
lay down to sleep I took the first watch. But in 
some way—perhaps because the fire was so cosy 
and agreeable,—I gradually lost consciousness, 
and when morning came both Nux and I awoke 
with a start to find the fire out and the sun glint¬ 
ing brightly through the trees. 

We made all haste- toward the camp of the 
robbers, but when we arrived at the place we 
found it deserted. They could not have been 
gone long, however, for the embers of the fire 
were still aglow; and Nux, who was keen as a 
bloodhound on a trail, declared he would have no 
trouble in following the band. 

Before we left, however, we made a search 
for food, and to our joy discovered behind the 
log a can of beans and some more biscuits, which 
Bry had evidently found an opportunity to hide 
there for our benefit. We began the chase even 
•while we ate, for Nux picked out the trail with 
ease and threaded his way between the trees with 
absolute confidence. 

It was nearly noon when he halted suddenly. 

We had come to the edge of the forest. Be- 
148 


The Rocking-Stone 

fore us lay a broad table-land, barren of any trees 
or brush whatever, and beyond this strip of rock 
the blue sea stretched away to the horizon. 

“Why, we’ve crossed the island!” I exclaimed. 

“Only one end of de island,” corrected Nux. 
“De bay where our ship lays ain’t half a mile 
away.” 

It surprised me that the shrewd black should 
know this, but I did not question his statement. 
Just now my attention was drawn to the rob¬ 
bers, who had halted upon the further edge of the 
table-land, which even from where we stood, 
could be seen to form a high bluff above the 
ocean. At this place it ran out into a little point, 
and just beyond this point, but separated from 
the mainland by a wide gulf, stood an island-like 
peak of rock, its flat surface on a level with the 
bluff. It must at one time have formed a part of 
the mainland, but some convulsion of nature had 
broken it away, and now a deep fissure isolated it 
from the bluff. 

Nature was responsible for two other curious 
freaks. One was a group of tall pines, three in 
number, which grew on the separate peak where 
149 


Sam Steele’s Adventures 


there seemed scarcely enough soil covering the 
rock to hold the roots of the trees. Yet on the 
main bluff there were no trees at all. 

The other phenomenon was a great rock, that 
must have weighed thousands of tons, which lay 
upon the edge of the bluff so nicely balanced that 
it almost seemed as if a good push would preci¬ 
pitate it into the gulf below. It was triangular 
in shape, and the base rested on the bluff 
while its outer point projected far over the gulf 
till it towered almost above the isolated point of 
rock I have described. 

The robbers, when we first saw them, were 
engaged in earnest consultation. It appeared that 
Daggett was explaining something about the 
.great rock, for he pointed toward it several times, 
and then at the islet. The others leaned over the 
edge of the gulf, looked int,o the chasm below, at 
the triangular rock, at the barren islet, and then 
drew back and shook their heads. 

Then Daggett, whom I had always considered 
a coward, did what struck me as being a very 
brave act. He climbed upon the sloping rock, and 
gradually crept upward on his hands and knees. 

150 


The Rocking-Stone 

When he reached a point above the center the 
huge rock began to tremble. Daggett crept a lit¬ 
tle further along, and now the entire mass of rock* 
which was poised to a nicety, raised its vast bulk 
and tipped slowly outward. Daggett slid for¬ 
ward ; the point of rock under him touched the is¬ 
let and came to rest, and then he leaped off and 
stood safely upon the peak, while the rocking- 
stone, relieved of his weight, slowly returned to 
its former position. 

A cheer went up from the men, and they hes¬ 
itated no longer. Bry crept up the stone next, 
and was tipped gracefully upon the islet. One 
after another Hayes, Judson and Larkin mounted 
the rocking-stone and were deposited upon the 
rocky point, together with their bundles of gold 
and provisions. 

We could not see very well what became of 
them, after this, for the big rock hid them from 
our view; but as it was evident they could not 
get back again—at least by the same means they 
had employed to reach the islet,—Nux and I made 
bold to creep out of our shelter and approach the 
point that jutted outward into the sea. 

ISI 


Sam Steele’s Adventures 


Then, to our surprise, we saw that the flat 
top of the rock was deserted. The robbers, to¬ 
gether with Bry and the treasure, seemed to have 
vanished into thin air I 


152 


CHAPTER XI. 


THE CAVERN. 

From our better position we could now see 
the sides of the great rock which reared itself 
nearly a hundred feet from the shore and stood 
like some gigantic, flat topped obelisk, keeping 
guard by the lonely sea. Some ancient convul¬ 
sion of nature, such an an earthquake or a light¬ 
ning bolt, had evidently split it from the main 
precipice of rock near which it stood; for the huge 
crevice that separated it, and which extended en¬ 
tirely down to the beach, almost followed its out¬ 
lines in every particular. But what had cast up 
that great rocking-stone, and placed it in so finely 
balanced a position that it could be made a cur¬ 
ious but effective bridge to the isolated peak? No 
one can tell. Another freak of nature, doubtless, 
for no mortal hands could ever have moved so 
great a weight of solid rock. 

And now was solved the problem of the mys- 
153 



Sam Steele’s Adventures 


terious disappearance of the robbers; for, looking’ 
over the edge, we saw them creeping slowly down 
the side of the cliff. A natural ledge, varying* 
from one to three feet in breadth, led from the 
top down to the bottom, circling entirely around 
the crag with a sort of corkscrew regularity. It 
was a dizzy path, most certainly, and I did not 
wonder to see the men cling fast to the inner side 
of the rock as they crept down the tortuous ledge; 
but Daggett, who evidently knew the place well, 
led them fearlessly, and the others followed, drag¬ 
ging their burdens and the sacks of gold-dust as 
best they could. I certainly expected to see one 
or more of them tumble headlong at any moment; 
but no accident happened and presently, as they 
descended, the path wound around the opposite 
side of the rock, and they were lost to view. 

I wondered if I would see them again, and if 
it were wise to stick to my exposed post of ob¬ 
servation; but while I pondered the matter Dag¬ 
gett came into view again, having passed around 
the rock. He was now two thirds of the way to 
the sands, and as he followed the ledge on the in¬ 
ner side, that lay next the face of the main cliff, 
IS4 


The Cavern 


I saw him suddenly pause upon a broader part 
of the path than the rest, and then disappear into 
the rock itself—or so it seemed to my gaze from 
where I watched. One by one the men came af¬ 
ter him, and one by one the rock swallowed them 
up with their burdens; and now passed a period 
pf tedious waiting. 

Both Nux and I had counted the fugitives and 
saw that all had safely descended to this point, 
including Bry. But what had become of them now 
was a mystery. 

“What shall we do, Nux?” I asked in inde¬ 
cision. “There’s nothing more to be seen from 
here.” 

The black, whose eyes held a startled expres¬ 
sion, made no reply; but he crept with me to a 
nearer and better position at the edge of the cliff 
beside the rocking-stone, and together we peered 
over into the abyss. Now, indeed, the strange 
disappearance of the robbers was explained, for 
from our present point or vantage we could see 
a black spot far down on the inner face of the 
column of rock, where the ledge passed, and this 
155 


Sam Steele’s Adventures 

spot was evidently a cavity into which the men 
had penetrated. 

“All we can do now/’ I said, with a sigh of 
regret, “is to wait until they come out. It would 
be foolish to follow them into that place.” 

Nux nodded an emphatic approval, and we 
proceeded to lie down upon our faces, so that our 
eyes just projected over the edge of the cliff, and 
in this position we watched as patiently as we 
could for something to happen. 

It was fully an hour before the men reap¬ 
peared. A distant sound of voices, raised high in 
angry dispute, was the first token that the desper¬ 
adoes were quitting the interior of the rock. Then 
Larkin and Daggett came out and stood upon the 
ledge, the others crowding behind them on the 
narrow footing, while their guide pointed along 
the ledge that still continued to lead downward. 

They were without burdens now, either of 
provisions or gold dust; but the two axes were 
carried over Bry’s shoulder, and another man bore 
a coil of rope. 

They seemed to be disputing together about 
something, and a few of the words reached our 
156 


The Cavern 


ears. Daggett was urging them to follow a plan 
he had proposed, while some of the others de¬ 
murred. 

“It’s too hot to work,” we heard one of the 
men declare. 

“It’s not too hot to hang,” shouted Daggett, 
in reply, “and you’ll hang, every mother’s son 
of you, if we don’t get to the ship!” 

That seemed to be an effective argument, for 
after a few more words of protest the men fol¬ 
lowed Daggett along the ledge, Bry coming last 
of all. 

The path was broader from there on, and 
they made rapid progress, soon being again lost 
to our view around the rock. Just as Bry dis¬ 
appeared he looked up and saw Nux and me 
eagerly watching from above. For an instant he 
paused to wave his hand and grin at us reassur¬ 
ingly; then he passed around the edge and van¬ 
ished after the others. 

“Dat Bry don’ ’pear to be much scared,” said 
Nux, in an encouraged tone. 

“No,” I answered, thoughtfully. “He’s got 


Sam Steele’s Adventures 


some plan in his head, I’m sure, to help us. But 
where have the men gone now?” 

Nux could not answer this problem, but after 
a few moments it solved itself, for the robbers and 
Bry appeared upon the sandy shore, close to the 
water, and walked briskly along the narrow strip 
of beach between the lapping waves and the grim 
precipice of the mainland. It was not long before 
a bend in the coast hid them completely, and then 
we sat up and looked at one another inquiringly. 

“What we do now ?” asked the black. 

“Let’s go down the rock,” I suggested, as¬ 
suming to be braver than I really was. “They’ve 
left the gold behind them, that’s sure; and the 
gold is what we’re after, Nux. Once we have 
recovered that, it doesn’t matter so much what 
becomes of the thieves.” 

“Won’ dey come back?” enquired Nux, hes¬ 
itatingly. 

“I hope not,” said I, truthfully. “At least not 
until after we’ve got back the gold. But there’s 
no time to lose. Follow me.” 

Having thus assumed the leadership, I strove 
to banish all unmanly fear and boldly sprang on 

158 


The Cavern 


to the end of the rocking-stone that rested on the 
mainland. Slowly and with caution I crept up 
its incline until I was directly over the gulf. It 
was now that the stone should tip, but it seemed 
that my weight, being less than that of any of the 
men who had passed over, was not sufficient to 
balance the rock, so it began to look like a risky 
thing for me to climb further up the tapering 
point. 

‘‘But it’s got to be done,” I muttered to my¬ 
self, setting my teeth firmly together; and then, 
summoning what courage I possessed, I lay close 
to the rock and crawled steadily upward, digging 
my toes desperately into the irregular hollows of 
the surface, to keep from sliding into the gulf that 
yawned below. Higher and higher I climbed, and 
at last the huge rock trembled and then gently 
sank beneath me. For a moment I was exult¬ 
ant ; but I had crept so near to the slippery point 
pf the wedge that I could find no rough projec¬ 
tion to grasp with my fingers, and therefore as 
soon as my head became lower than my feet I 
slid headforemost to the point and tumbled off 
159 


Sam Steele’s Adventures 


before the rocking-stone had reached a point of 
rest upon the peak. 

Fortunately, however, I had been carried over 
the gulf, and although I lay, half-stunned, upon 
the very edge of the great precipice, I was not 
much hurt. In another moment I managed to 
drag myself to a position of greater safety, while 
the rocking-stone, relieved of my weight, reared 
its nearest point into the air again and fell slowly 
back into its original position. 

Nux, who had watched breathlessly my ad¬ 
venture and hair-breadth escape, was trembling 
violently when he in turn mounted the stone. But 
I called out to reassure him, and his greater weight 
caused the wedge to tip more quickly, so that he 
effected the passage* to the rocky peak with com¬ 
parative ease. 

Once beside me the faithful fellow began rub¬ 
bing my limbs briskly to renew.their circulation 
# < 

and ease the bruises,.and itiwas not long before 
I felt sufficiently restored to . announce my resolve 
to continue the adventure. 

“Come on, Nux,” said I, scrambling to my 
160 


The Cavern 


feet, “we must get that gold before DaggetFand 
his gang come back.” 

The black was staring at the rocking-stone, 
now removed from our table-like refuge by a good 
twenty feet. 

“How we get back again ?” he asked, in per¬ 
plexity. 

“I don’t know,” said I. “That’s a question 
we’ll have to face afterward. The main thing is 
to get the gold, and it’s certain that if we can 
find no way to escape the robbers will be as badly 
off themselves.” 

Nux shook his head. 

“Dat won’ help us, Mars Sam,” he said, 
gravely. 

But already I was engaged in eagerly peering 
over the edge of the peak to find the ledge by 
which the men had descended, and in an instant 
I discovered it. It started with a projection 
scarcely six inches wide, which lay nearly four 
feet from the top, and it is small wonder that I 
looked at it dubiously, at first. For if I let my¬ 
self over, and missed my footing, I would be 
tumbled sheer down the face of the cliff. 

161 


Sam Steele’s Adventures 


“I go first.” r 'decided Nux, who had also 
glanced over the cliff. 

There was a'crack in the rock," near the edge, 
which afforded him a hold -f or his hands, and 
clutching this the black let his body slide over 
until his feet touched the projection. 

“Now, Mars Sam,” he said. “You hold on 
me, an’ come down.” 

This I quickly did, and found the feat much 
less difficult than I had feared. Just at the top 
where my companions’s feet rested, there was suf¬ 
ficient incline to enable me to lean against the 
rock, and a few steps further on the ledge widened 
until the path was quite easy to follow. 

I went first, followed closely by the black, and 
although it was not a descent one would have 
chosen for a pleasure excursion there was little 
of danger to be encountered by those with cool 
heads and determined hearts, such as we strove 
to maintain. 

Round and round the great pillar of rock we 
crept, nearing the foot gradually until we came at 
last to the side facing the main cliff and found 
the opening of a large cavern beside us. 

162 


The Cavern 


Filled* with eager curiosity I took a step or 
two inside, and found the cavern to be fully ten 
feet in height and about fifteen feet in depth. 
There was no light except that which came 
through the round entrance, and as this faced the 
side of the cliff it was so shadowed that it required 
a few moments for me to accustom my eyes to the 
gloom, so that I could see plainly the interior of 
the cave. 

Its floor was strewn deeply with sand, an evi¬ 
dence that when the waves rolled high they re¬ 
bounded from the face of the cliff and deposited 
their sand in the cavern. The marks of numerous 
footprints, however, were all that could be seen 
in the cave, and it did not take me a moment to 
guess what had occupied the robbers so long. 

“They’ve buried the sacks of gold and the pro¬ 
visions under the sand!” I exclaimed. 

“Sure ’nough,” agreed Nux. 

“It will take us some time to dig for them, for 
we don’t know exactly where to look,” I con¬ 
tinued, reflectively, “so our best plan will be to go 
down to the beach and discover what has become 
163 


Sam Steele’s Adventures 


of Daggett and his crew, and whether they’re 
liable to come back here before night.” 

The black readily agreed to this, so we at 
once left the cave and continued along the ledge 
until we reached the sand. 

The path became quite broad in this part, and 
our descent was therefore concluded very rapidly. 

Once on the shore we walked briskly along 
until we had turned the bend in the beach, which 
curved to follow the lines of a little bay. Here 
we paused, for a long stretch of the beach was 
now opened to our gaze. 

From this point the shore widened out, for 
the precipitous mainland shrank backward and 
decreased gradually in height until, a half mile 
or so further on, it reached the level plain and 
merged into a deep forest which grew almost 
down to the edge of the sea. 

No human being was in sight, so we naturally 
concluded that the robbers had entered the for¬ 
est. 

Being curious to discover what they were do¬ 
ing, without hesitation we decided to follow them, 
and their path was easily traced by the footprints 
164 


The Cavern 


in the sand. These led straight to the forest, and 
although somewhat fearful that the enemy would 
discover our presence, we proceeded to walk bold¬ 
ly around the shore of the little bay until we came 
to the edge of the trees. 

A sound of voices, mingled with the strokes 
of the axes, now guided us, and stealthily creep¬ 
ing among the thick underbrush we soon dis¬ 
covered the robbers busily at work. 

Judson and Dandy Pete were trimming the 
branches from a fallen tree-trunk, while the oth¬ 
ers were rolling and dragging another big log* 
toward the sea, the glistening waters being per¬ 
ceptible but a few yards away. Evidently the 
men were intending to build a r&ft, and after? 
listening for a few minutes to their disjointed con¬ 
versation we learned that the raft was designed 
to convey them and their stolen wealth to the 
ship. 

While Daggett, Larkin and Bry tugged and 
dragged at the log, Nux and I crept away to the 
shore, where we found two big logs already ly¬ 
ing upon the sands. Also we could now plainly 
see, sheltered in another bay, the “Flipper” lying 


Sam Steele’s Adventures 

quietly at her anchorage, as Nux had wisely pre¬ 
dicted. 

The schemes of the robbers were now fully 
explained. Under cover of the forest by day, 
and hidden in their cave by night, they intended 
to complete the raft, and when it was ready it 
would not be difficult to steal away to the ship 
with the treasure, under cover of darkness, hoist 
the sails, and creep out to sea, bidding defiance to 
the Major and his comrades and leaving the 
miners and the “Flipper's” crew to perish on the 
lonely island. 

But the construction of the raft would require 
time—several days, at least—for after getting 
the logs to the shore they must be fastened to¬ 
gether by cross-strips secured with wooden pegs, 
since there was not enough rope in their posession 
to bind the tree-trunks together. 

Once more returning to a part of the under¬ 
brush near which the men were employed, Nux 
and I settled ourselves to listen attentively to their 
conversation. 

Presently we heard Daggett say: 

“At this rate we’ll have the raft ready by Sat- 
166 


The Cavern 


urday, and Saturday night we’ll take the ship.” 

“It’s beastly hard work!” growled• Dandy 
Pete, brushing with his sleeve the sweat from his 
brow. 

“Yes; but it means liberty and riches to every 
one of us,” said Daggett, and that was an argu¬ 
ment none cared to deny. 

Just then I was startled at hearing low voices 
just beside me and instinctively I touched the 
black’s shoulder and we crouched lower in the 
bushes. Nux, indeed, with a woodsman’s instinct, 
was quite flat upon the ground, lifeless and in¬ 
visible, and I strove to imitate him. 

“It’s as easy as can be,” said the voice, which 
I recognized as that of Larkin. “We’ll let the 
fools work until the raft is finished, and then 
we’ll put Our knives in their hearts, and have the 
gold for ourselves.” 

“How about Bry?” asked Judson, hoarsely 
whispering to his murderous comrade. 

“Oh, he won’t interfere any,” was the reply. 
“And we need the nigger to help us work the 
ship.” 

“Can three of us manage the vessel ?” 

167 


Sam Steele’s Adventures 


“Of course, with good weather. We’ll have 
to take our chances of a storm, but the fewer 
there are to divide up, the bigger our fortunes 
will be. We won’t give the nigger a cent, but go 
halves on the whole thing. Perhaps we can sell 
the ship, too, for a good sum.” 

“All right; I’m with you!” declared Judson, 
with an oath; and then the two conspirators crept 
away and rejoined the others, unconscious that 
their diabolical plot had been overheard. 


168 


CHAPTER XII. 


WE RECOVER THE GOLD. 

Thinking over the matter, I decided to return 
at once to the cave. The thieves would doubtless 
be occupied in the forest until sundown, and such 
a chance as this to secure possession of the gold 
might never occur again. For if Daggett or his 
men chanced to see our footprints in the sand, or 
suspected they were being spied upon, they would 
be liable to leave a guard in the cave thereafter. 

So we softly crept from the forest and made 
our way back by the same route we had come, tak¬ 
ing care to tread in the trail made by the robbers, 
so that our footprints could be less easily distin¬ 
guished. We did not feel entirely safe from ob¬ 
servation until we had regained the column of 
rock which towered into the air beside the preci¬ 
pitous cliff; but once our feet were on the narrow 
ledge both I and my faithful Sulu breathed easier, 
169 



Sam Steele’s Adventures 


and with more deliberation accomplished the as¬ 
cent to the cave. 

“Now/’ said I, “we must work carefully, so 
that no spot of sand can escape us; for the thieves 
have taken care to disturb the surface everywhere, 
in order to throw any chance visitor to> this hid¬ 
ing-place off the track. But we know the gold 
is buried in this cave, Nux, so it ought not to be 
a very hard job to find it.” 

Nux nodded, with his usual complaisance. 

“We begin in back,” he suggested, “and work 
front.” 

This seemed sensible, so I followed the black 
to the far end of the cavern, and falling upon our 
knees we immediately began digging with our 
hands into the soft sand. 

For nearly an hour we steadily worked, find¬ 
ing nothing at all. Then, as I stopped to rest, I 
cast a careless glance along the rocky sides of the 
cave and thought that I saw a white mark upon 
the wall, a few feet toward the front. Springing 
to my feet I approached this point and discovered 
that a small cross had been made with a piece of 
chalk or a bit of white limestone. 


170 


We Recover the Gold 


“Here we are, Nux!” I cried, joyfully and 
at once began digging in the sand beneath the 
mark. A few minutes work proved that my sud¬ 
den suspicion was correct; for Nux, who had 
straightway joined me, dragged one of the sacks 
to light, while I discovered another just beside it. 

It was part of the stolen gold, sure enough,, 
and my heart beat fast with excitement as I real¬ 
ized that the precious hoard was once more in my 
possession. 

Only a part had been hidden in this place, we 
found; but now we had an unmistakeable clew to 
guide us, so that we had little difficulty in finding 
a second secret mark that resulted in the discov¬ 
ery of the balance of the treasure, as well as the. 
sacks of provisions. 

When all had been unearthed Nux asked: 

“What we do now. Mars Sam ?” 

“Why, carry it away, of course,” I answered,, 
joyous and elate. 

“Where?” enquired the black, simply. 

I looked at him in surprise, and then realiz¬ 
ing the meaning of the question, grew thoughtful, 
again. 


Sam Steele’s Adventures 


“You’re right, Nux,” said I. “It’s going to 
be a harder task than I thought. We can’t pass 
by the forest with it, that’s certain; for Daggett 
and his followers would be sure to see us. On the 
other side, the cliff rises straight out of the sea, 
and there’s no way to escape around it. All we 
can do, then, is to carry the gold to the top of this 
rock.” 

“Hm!” grunted the Sulu. “Dat no good, 
Mars Sam.” 

“Why not?” 

“No way to get off top of rock.” 

“True; but we can hide there, ’till the thieves 
go away to the ship. It. isn’t likely they’ll climb 
up there again, for this cave is a better place to 
sleep in.” 

Nux seemed unconvinced, and I had none too 
much confidence in my own assertion. 

“Tonight,” said the black, in a dismal tone, 
“dey hunt for de gold. All gone. Robber very 
mad. Dey look ev’rywhere; den dey find us on 
rock. Den dey kill us.” 

“That’s a pretty tough prophecy, Nux,” I 
returned, as cheerfully as I could. “And it sounds 
172 


We Recover the Gold 


likely enough, I confess. We’ve got the gold 
again, to be sure; but the robbers have got us; so 
we’re worse off than we were before.” 

Nux took a lump of bread from a provision 
sack and begun to munch it leisurely. Noticing 
the action, and remembering that I also was hun¬ 
gry, I proceeded to follow the black’s example. 

While we ate, however, my Sulu was busily 
thinking, and so was I. As a result I presently 
gave my leg a delighted slap and began to laugh. 

Nux looked at me with a grin of sympathy up¬ 
on his black features. 

“What’s matter, Mars Sam?” 

“Nux,” said I, checking my amusement and 
trying to look grave and impressive, “there’s an 
old saying that ‘there’s never a lock so strong but 
there’s a key to fit it’. In other words, while 
there’s life there’s hope; never give up the ship; 
every sky has a silver lining!” 

Nux looked puzzled. 

“That’s a lovely pair of trousers you’re wear¬ 
ing, Nux,” I continued, in a jocular strain. 
“They’re made of the stoutest cloth Uncle Naboth 
could find in San Francisco, and I gave them to 
173 


Sam Steele’s Adventures 


you out of the ship’s stores only three or four 
days ago, because your old ones were so ragged.” 

Nux glanced at his wide-legged blue trousers 
and nodded. 

“Now, old man,” said I, “you’ve often told 
me you used to go bare-legged and bare-backed in 
your own island, so I’m going to ask you to go 
bare-legged a little while now, and lend me those 
trousers.” 

“Wha’ for, Mars Sam?” 

“To put the gold grains in, of course. The 
robbers may look for the sacks of gold, when they 
come back, but they’re pretty sure not to open 
them. Therefore, my friend we’ll fix it so that 
they’ll think their gold is all safe.” 

“How, Mars Sam?” 

“By filling the sacks with sand, and burying 
them again where we found them.” 

Nux looked at me admiringly, and grinned un¬ 
til his mouth stretched from ear to ear and dis¬ 
played everyone of his white teeth. 

“Good, Mars Sam!” he cried, and at once 
stripped the trousers from his legs. 

I now hunted in the pockets of my jacket and 
174 


We Recover the Gold 

brought out several small bits of cord, which I 
knotted firmly together. Then I tied the legs 
of Nux’s trousers tightly at the bottoms, thus 
transforming them into a double sack of great 
capacity. 

It did not take us long to transfer the gold- 
dust from the canvas bags to the trouser-legs, and 
as soon as this task was accomplished we refilled 
the bags with sand and tied up as before. I was 
obliged to tear away a part of my own shirt to 
get material with which to tie the upper part of 
the trousers, for I did not wish to deprive poor 
Nux of his entire apparel. The Sulu looked funny 
enough, dressed only in his shoes and shirt, with 
his black legs between them, and more than once 
I was obliged to pause and laugh heartily at my 
comrade’s appearance. But Nux didn’t seem to 
mind, and soon the seriousness of our position and 
the necessity to hasten caused me to forget the 
queer costume of my follower. 

We abstracted but a slender supply of pro¬ 
visions from the sacks, for we did not wish to 
arouse suspicion by taking too much. The next 
task was to bury the sacks of sand and the pro- 
175 


Sam Steele’s Adventures 


visions exactly as they had been before, and to 
smooth over the surface of the sand and trample 
it down just as we had found it when we first en¬ 
tered the cave. 

This being accomplished to our complete sat¬ 
isfaction, Nux lifted the heavy gold over his 
shoulder, one leg hanging behind his back and one 
in front, and started to mount the narrow ledge 
of rock with his burden, while I followed close 
behind to render any assistance I could. 

The Sulu was a wonderfully strong man; but 
his task was a difficult one, although I tried to re¬ 
lieve him in the worst places by lifting a part of 
the heavy load. 

Our progress was slow, for poor Nux had to 
stop frequently to put down his load and rest, 
and it was while we were on the outer surface of 
the rock, which faced the sea, that we were sud¬ 
denly startled by hearing sounds that assured 
us the robbers were returning from the forest. 
Much time had been consumed in the cave, search¬ 
ing for the treasure and securing it, and now I 
began to fear we had delayed too long. 

Just at this time the men could not see us; 
176 



V hazardous climb 













We Recover the Gold 


but as soon as they mounted the ledge and began 
to wind around the tower of rock, they would be 
sure to catch sight of our forms, and then our 
fate would be sealed. 

“Nux,” I whispered, “pick up the gold and be 
ready to start. As soon as the thieves get back to 
the ledge we must go on, and keep the rock al¬ 
ways between us and them, or we shall be lost.” 

Nux nodded, and obeyed without a word. It 
was often hard to tell, by the sound of their voices, 
just how far up the ledge the men had progressed; 
but fortune favored us, and only once did we lag 
behind enough for the first of the robber band to 
espy us. But that first person, by good luck, 
proved to be Bryonia, and the clever black at once 
pretended to stumble and fall, and so held the men 
that followed him in check until Nux and I had 
escaped around the crag. 

Soon after this the robbers reached the cave, 
which they entered, thus enabling us to reach the 
top of the crag at our leisure. 

Nux was nearly spent when at last he threw 
the laden trousers upon the flat top and tried to 
draw his tired body after them; but I gave him a 
179 


Sam Steele’s Adventures 


hearty boost from behind, and then scrambled to 
the top unaided, nerved by the excitement of the 
moment. 

For several minutes neither of us spoke. The 
black man lay panting for breath, with the pers¬ 
piration streaming from every pore of his body, 
and I, filled with gratitude at our escape and the 
•successful accomplishment of our plan, sat be¬ 
side my faithful friend and fanned him with my 
straw hat. 

The sun was sinking fast, by this time, and the 
shadows of the three tall pine trees that grew upon 
this isolated peak fell upon the spot where we 
rested, and cooled our sun-parched bodies. 

Although at times a rough laugh or a shouted 
curse reached our ears from the cavern below, 
there was no indication that Daggett or his band 
had yet made the discovery that the place had 
been visited in their absence, and the treasure 
for which they had risked so much abstracted 
from its sandy grave. 

When twilight fell I arose and with some diffi¬ 
culty rolled the trousers to a place nearer the cen¬ 
ter of the rock, where there was a small natural 
180 


We Recover the Gold 


hollow; and then Nux and I sat beside it and ate 
again sparingly of the food we had brought. 

It was while we were thus occupied that an 
incident occurred that filled us with sudden panic. 
For before our faces a man’s head appeared above 
the edge of rock, and two dark eyes glared fixedly 
into our own. 

At the moment I almost screamed with fright, 
so unnerved had my recent adventures rendered 
me; but Nux laid his broad hand across my mouth 
and arrested the outcry. 

“It’s Bry,” he whispered, and even as he spoke 
the newcomer drew himself over the edge and 
crept on all fours to our side. I had no trouble 
in recognizing the friendly features then. 

“Oh, Bry!” I said—softly, so as not to be 
heard by the robbers.below—and clasped the black 
hands fervently in both my own. 

Bry squatted beside us, his kindly face 
wreathed in smiles. 

“Dey send me up here to see if anyone 
’round,” he whispered. “In a minute I go back 
and say ‘no.’ ” 

181 


Sam Steele’s Adventures 

“Can’t you stay with us, Bry ?” I asked, plead¬ 
ingly. 

“Not yet, Mars Sam. Dey very bad mans, 
down dere. Dey kill you quick if dey find you.” 

“We’ve got the gold, Bry!” 

“I know. I see you in the de wood; I fol¬ 
low your footprints all way home; I see you 
climbin’ up rock. Den I see de sand been dig up, 
so I knew you got gold.” 

“Did they suspect us at all, Bry ?” 

“No, Mars Sam. Dey too busy tryin’ to kill 
each other. All want to have gold for himself, 
so all try to kill everyone else. Very bad mans, 
Mars Sam.” 

“They’re going to take you on the ship, and 
make you sail it,” said I. 

Bry laughed, silently. 

“I stay with them now, so they not find you,” 
he said. “But when right time come I steal 
away an’ come back to you. Did you fill sack 
with sand, Mars Sam?” glancing enquiringly at 
the stuffed trousers. 

“Yes.” 

“That good,” said Bry, approvingly. “They 
182 


We Recover the Gold 


dig up one, when they come back, to see if all 
safe. Then they hide it again. Very good way 
to fool bad mans.” 

“But we can't leave here until they gQ away,” 
I remarked. 

“No. Must be careful. Tomorrow they fin¬ 
ish raft. Tomorrow night they go to ship. You 
stay here and hide till then. After de bad mans 
go, I come back to you, and we go to camp again.” 

“All right, Bry,” said I, as cheerfully as pos¬ 
sible. 

Then the black bade us good-bye and returned 
to the cave to report to Daggett that no one was 
to be seen anywhere about. And now Nux and 
I, wearied by the adventures of the day, but 
buoyed by the hope that we might finally escape 
with the recovered gold, lay down upon the rocky 
eminence and, bathed by the moon's silver rays, 
slept peacefully until morning. 


183 


CHAPTER XIII. 


THE CATASTROPHE. 

I was awakened by the voices of the robbers, 
who were leaving the cave early in order to com¬ 
plete their raft by nightfall. It was evident that 
they had not suspected our intrusion into their 
retreat, or the fact that their stolen treasure had 
been taken from them. Indeed, they seemed in 
high spirits, especially Larkin and Judson, who 
were doubtless eager to carry out their nefarious 
plan of murdering their comrades as soon as the 
work on the raft was finished. Daggett might 
also harbor a conspiracy to secure the bulk of the 
treasure, and probably all the members of the 
evil band were looking forward to this coming 
night to end their suspense and give them an ad¬ 
vantage one over the other. “Honor among 
thieves” has often been quoted; but in this in¬ 
stance, as in many others that could be mentioned, 
184 



The Catastrophe 

the thieves were as lacking in honor as they were 
in honesty. 

From my elevated perch I watched them file 
along the ledge to the sands, and upon reaching 
the level set off toward the forest. Not till they 
were well out of sight did Nux or I venture to 
rise upright and stretch our limbs. 

The morning was warm and sultry. The sun 
gleamed hot in a cloudless sky and not a breath 
of air stirred the leaves of the three tall trees that 
stood at the edge of our towering rock. 

"It’s going to be a roasting day,” I said to 
Nux, “and we won’t get any shade from those 
trees until afternoon. Do you suppose we dare, 
go down to the cave for a while.” 

Nux shook his head. 

“We all safe now, Mars Sam,” he replied.. 
“Better not run no risk wid dis yeah gold dust.’ r 

Thoughtfully I gazed toward the forest. 

“Those fellows will be cool and comfortable 
enough in the shade,” I remarked, rebelliously, 
“and I don’t believe they’ll come back through the 
hot sun until it’s time to get the treasure. Let’s, 
go down to the sea and take a swim.” 

185 


Sam Steele’s Adventures 

Nux was unable to resist the temptation; so, 
leaving the trousers full of golden grains rest¬ 
ing on top of the rock, we made our way cau¬ 
tiously along the narrow, winding ledge until we 
reached the shore. 

There was not a ripple on the sea. It lay as 
still and inert as a sheet of glass; but the water 
was cool, nevertheless, when compared with the 
stifling atmosphere, and so I and my black com¬ 
panion paddled in it for more than an hour, feel¬ 
ing much refreshed by our luxurious bath. 

Afterward we ate our simple breakfast and 
then climbed the ledge as far as the mouth of the 
cave, where we sat down in the shade. Even that 
slight exertion quite exhausted us. 

“We will be sure to hear them if they should 
by chance return,” said I, "and we’ll certainly 
be roasted if we get on top of this rock, where the 
sun can strike us. I believe it’s the hottest day 
1 ever knew.” 

Meantime the men in the forest were finding 
their work far from pleasant, as Bryonia after¬ 
ward told us. They were shaded from the sun x 
it is true; but the air they breathed was as hot as 
186 


The Catastrophe 

if it came fresh from an oven, and the least ex¬ 
ertion caused the perspiration to stream from their 
pores. So there was considerable grumbling 
among them and a general shirking of work that 
made their progress slow. Even Bryonia, who 
was fairly heat-proof, found he had little energy 
to swing his axe, although he made a pretense of 
working as industriously as ever. 

“Never mind, boys,” said Daggett, when noon 
had arrived and they were eating the luncheon 
they had brought in their pockets. “The raft will 
be big enough to carry us and the gold to the ship, 
I’m sure, for the sea is as still as a mill-pond. 
We’ll just get these two logs to the shore, and 
fasten them to the others, and call the thing a 
go. What do you say?” 

They agreed with him readily enough. As a 
matter of fact the raft might suffice to carry them 
all, but none of them believed that all five would 
embark upon it, so many murderous schemes 
were lurking in their minds. 

Wearily they dragged the two logs toward the 
sea, but much time was consumed in this opera- 

187 


Sam Steele’s Adventures 


tion, and the day was far spent before the raft 
was complete and ready to launch. 

Most of the men had stripped themselves 
naked, to work more comfortably, for the heat 
was well-nigh unbearable; but now, as they stood 
ready to push the raft into the water, the sun sud¬ 
denly disappeared and a cold chill swept over 
them, 

“We’re going to have a storm,” cried Daggett, 
looking curiously into the sky. “Better leave the 
raft where it is, my lads, and make for the cave.” 

The warning was unquestionable. Already a 
low, moaning sound came to their ears across the 
sea, and the sky grew darker each moment. 

With one accord the men seized their cloth¬ 
ing in their arms and ran along the beach toward 
the cave, while tiny points of lightning darted 
here and there about them, casting weird if mo¬ 
mentary gleams upon their naked forms. 

Nux and I sitting half asleep by the mouth of 
the cave, were warned by the first chill blast that 
swept over us that the weather had changed and 
a storm was imminent. Springing to my feet I 
looked fearfully at the darkening sky. 

188 


The Catastrophe 

“What’ll we do, Nux?” I asked. “This will 
bring our enemies back here in double-quick 
time.” 

“Better climb on top de rock, Mars Sam,” 
advised the Sulu. 

“But it’ll rain—floods and torrents, probably 
—and thunder and lightning besides.” 

“ 'Spect it will, Mars Sam. But rain wont 
hurt us much.” 

“And Daggett’s gang will, if they catch us* 
I guess you’re right, Nux. Come along.” 

As we started along the ledge the wind came 
upon us in sudden gusts, and the sky grew so 
dark that we almost had to feel our way. It 
was necessary to exercise great care, both to find 
a secure footing and to cling fast to the face of 
the rock, to prevent our being blown into the 
abyss below; but we struggled manfully on, and 
presently reached the top, where Nux hoisted me 
over the edge and then scrambled after me. 

By this time the lightning was playing all 
around us, and we were obliged to crawl carefully 
on hands and knees to the little hollow in the cen¬ 
ter of the rock, where we were to an extent shield- 
189 


Sam Steele’s Adventures 


ed from the fierce gusts of wind. Even then I 
feared we would be blown away; but Nux shout¬ 
ed in my ear to hold fast to the gold, which served 
as a sort of anchor, and enabled us both, as we 
lay flat in the hollow, to maintain our positions 
securely. 

And now the lightning began to be accom¬ 
panied by sharp peals of thunder, while the wind 
suddenly subsided to give place to wild floods of 
rain. At intervals could be heard the shouts of 
the robbers, who had reached the rocks and were 
creeping along the ledge to their cave. All the 
elements seemed engaged in a confused turmoil, 
until I was nearly deafened by the uproar. I tried 
to ask a question of Nux, but could not hear my 
own voice, and gave up the attempt. The thought' 
crossed my mind that we had been very foolish 
to climb to this peak of rock, where we were ex¬ 
posed to the full fury of the storm, and I wond¬ 
ered vaguely, as I clung to the sack of gold we 
had risked so much to secure, how long it would 
be before the wind swept us away, or we would 
be annihilated by a bolt of lightning. 

Presently an arm was laid across my back, 
190 


The Catastrophe 

as if to protect me, and raising my head I saw 
by the light of a vivid flash that Bryonia had 
joined us and was lying in the hollow at my side. 

I wondered how the daring Sulu had ever 
managed to reach us; but the strong arm gave 
me a new sense of security, and impulsively I 
seized the black man’s hand and pressed it to ex¬ 
press my gratitude and welcome. 

An instant later a terrible crash sounded in 
my ears, while at the same time a blast of fire 
swept over the rock and seemed to bathe our 
three prostrate figures in its withering flame. 
Again came a crash; and another—and still an¬ 
other, while the crisp lightning darted through 
the air and made each nerve of our bodies tingle 
as if pricked by myriads of needle points. 

Half bewildered, I raised my head, and saw 
the great rocking-stone sway from side to side 
and then plunge headlong into the gulf that lay 
between the precipice and the solitary rock where¬ 
on we reclined. And I felt the mighty column of 
rock shake and lean outward, as if about to top¬ 
ple into the sea, while the impact of the fallen 
191 


Sam Steele’s Adventures 

mass reverbrated above the shriek of the wind 
and the thunder’s loudest roar. 

Instinctively I braced myself for the end—the 
seemingly inevitable outcome of this terrible ca¬ 
tastrophe ; but to my surprise no violent calamity 
overwhelmed us. Instead, the lightning, as if 
satisfied with its work of destruction, gradually 
abated. The blinding flashes no longer pained 
my closed eyes with their vivid recurrence, and 
even the wind and rain moderated and grew less 
violent. 


192 


CHAPTER XIV. 


BURIED ALIVE. 

Terrified beyond measure by the awfulness of 
the storm, I gave little heed to the fact that the 
rocky hollow in which I lay with the two faithful 
blacks had filled with water, so that our bodies 
were nearly covered by the pool that had formed. 
My head still rested on the trousers packed with 
gold, and one arm was closely clasped around a 
leg containing the treasured metal grains. So I 
lay, half dazed and scarcely daring to move, 
while the rain pattered down upon us and the 
storm sobbed itself out by degrees. 

I must have lost consciousness, after a time, 
for my first distinct recollection is of Bryonia 
drawing my body from the pool to lay it on a 
dryer portion of the rock, where the overhang¬ 
ing trees slightly sheltered me. The sky had 
grown lighter by now, and while black streaks 
of cloud still drifted swiftly across the face of the 
193 



Sam Steele’s Adventures 


moon, there were times when the great disc was 
clear, and shed its light brilliantly over the bleak 
and desolate landscape. 

Within an hour the rain had ceased altogether, 
and stars came out to join the moon; but still we 
lay motionless atop the peak of rock, worn out 
by our struggles with the elements and fitfully 
dozing in spite of the horrors we had passed 
through. 

Bry was first to arouse, and found the sun 
shining overhead. There was no wind and the 
temperature of the morning air was warm and 
genial. The black’s legs pained him, for in his 
terrible climb up the rock during the storm a 
jagged piece of rock had cut his thigh and torn 
the flesh badly. He had not noticed it until now, 
but after examining the wound he bathed it in 
the water of the pool and bound it up with a rag 
torn from his shirt. 

While he was thus occupied Nux sat up and 
watched him, yawning. They spoke together in 
low tones, using the expressive Sulu language, 
and had soon acquainted each other with the events 
that had occurred since they separated. Their 
194 


Buried Alive! 


murmured words aroused me to a realization of 
the present, and having partially collected my 
thoughts I began to rub my eyes and look wond- 
eringly around me. 

The top of the rock was no longer flat, but in¬ 
clined toward the sea. The three tall trees also 
inclined that way, instead of growing upright, 
and the neighboring cliff of the mainland seemed 
further removed from us than before. Something 
appeared to be missing in the landscape, and then 
I suddenly remembered how the rocking-stone 
had leaped into the gulf during the storm. 

“All safe?” I asked, looking at my black 
friends gratefully. 

“All safe,” answered Bry, smiling. 

“It was a dreadful night,” I continued, with 
a shudder. “Have you heard anything from the 
robbers yet?” 

“No, Mars Sam.” 

“They’re probably sleeping late. Anyhow, 
they can’t have gone away on the raft yet.” 

Bry shook his head. 

“All very wicked mans, Mars Sam,” he said. 
“Even in big storm, while we climb up to cave, 
195 


Sam Steele’s Adventures 


Mars Daggett tell me to go behind Pete an’ push 
him off rock.” 

“The villain!” I exclaimed, indignantly. 

“He tell me if I not push Pete off, he kill me,” 
continued Bry, with a grin. 

“What did you do?” 

“When they run into cave, I run by it, an’ 
come here. That’s all, Mars Sam.” 

“You did well, Bry. If they climb up here af¬ 
ter you, we’ll fight them to the death.” 

“No climb rock any more, Mars Sam,” said 
Bry, soberly. 

“Why not?” 

“See how rock tip? Only fly can climb rock 
now.” 

“I believe you’re right, Bry!” I cried, startled 
at this dreadful assertion; and, if so, we’re pris¬ 
oners here. Let us see what it looks like.” 

I crawled rather stiffly down the inclined sur¬ 
face to the edge overlooking the sea, and one 
glance showed me that it would now be impos¬ 
sible for anyone to walk along the narrow ledge. 

While I looked a sharp cry of horror from 
Nux reached my ears, and swiftly turning I 
196 


Buried Alive! 


hastened with Bry toward the place where the 
black was leaning over the gulf that separated 
the peak from the mainland. 

“What is it, Nux?” I asked, anxiously. 

But the Sulu only stood motionless, pointing 
with one finger into the abyss, while his eyes 
stared downward with an expression of abject 
fear. 

We both followed his gaze, and one glance 
was sufficient to fully acquaint us with the awful 
catastrophe the vengeance of the storm had 
wrought. 

The huge rocking-stone, weighing thousands 
of tons, which for ages had remained delicately 
balanced upon the edge of the chasm, had been 
struck by a bolt of lightning and torn from its 
base. Crashing into the gulf, a point of the great, 
wedge-shaped boulder had entered the mouth of 
the cave where the desperadoes sought shelter, 
and, crowded forward by its own weight, it had 
sealed up the robbers in a living grave, from 
whence no power of man could ever rescue them. 

It was this mighty wedge, crowded into the 
space between the slender peak and the main cliff, 
19 7 . 


Sam Steele’s Adventures 


that had caused the former to lean outward; and 
in one comprehensive look we were able to read 
the whole story of the night’s tragedy—a tragedy 
we had instinctively felt in the crash of the storm, 
but could only realize now. 

“Poor fellows!” I whispered, softly, forget¬ 
ting in my awe that they had been our relentless 
enemies. “It was a terrible fate. Perhaps they’re 
even now sitting in that dark hole, shut off from 
all the world and waiting for death to overtake 
them. Isn’t it dreadful.” 

The blacks glanced at one another without re¬ 
ply; but I noticed that they exchanged a secret 
sign which their pagan priests had taught them 
when they were boys, and which was supposed 
to propitiate the demon of retribution. To their 
simple minds Daggett and his gang of cut-throats 
had been properly punished for their wickedness. 

But for my part I am glad to remember that 
at the moment I ignored the fact that these men 
were wicked, and grieved that four human beings 
had suddenly been cut off in the prime of their 
manhood. The recollection of their crimes might 
temper my regret afterward, but just now my 
198 


Buried Alive! 


thoughts were all of sorrow and commisseratiom 

Nux roused me from my reflections by ask¬ 
ing: 

“What we do now, Mars Sam?” 

“I don’t know,” I answered, despairingly. “If 
we can’t escape from this rock we are little better 
off than those poor fellows below us. See! the 
stone, as it fell, tore away the ledge completely.” 

“No climb down, any way at all,” said Bry* 
squatting upon the rock and clasping his knees; 
with his hands. 

“We haven’t any rope, or enough clothing to 
make one,” I continued, striving to be calm and 
to force myself to think clearly. “But if we re¬ 
main up here it won’t take us long to die of thirst 
or starvation. The aggravating thing about it is 
that the mainland is just too far away for us to 
leap across to it. We’re in a bad fix, boys, and 
no mistake.” 

Bry gazed reflectively at the trees. 

“If we had axe,” said he, “we chop down tree* 
and make fall across the gulf.” 

“Ah! that’s a clever idea,” I cried; but my 
199 


Sam Steele’s Adventures 


elation quickly subsided, and I added gloomily, 
in the next breath: “only we have no axe.” 

Bry made no answer, but sat thoughtfully gaz¬ 
ing around him. Presently he began to creep 
around the table of rock on his hands and knees, 
examining every part of its surface with great 
eare. 

At one place, where the edge of the rock was 
jagged and of a harder character than the rest, 
he paused to make a more thorough examination, 
and then he drew out his one-bladed jack-knife 
and began prying into the rock with its point. 

Nux and I immediately crept to his side to 
see what he was doing, and soon Bry had loosened 
a piece of rock that weighed about five pounds. 
It was flat on the lower surface and of irregular 
circular form. This fragment the Sulu examined 
with great care, and struck it sharply against the 
rock without breaking it. It seemed to meet his 
approval, for he laid it carefully aside and at once 
attempted to pry up another portion of the hard 
rock. Then, when he had again succeeded, he sat 
down and began cautiously chipping one piece 
•of rock against the other, until he had brought the 


200 


Buried Alive I 

first fragment to a wedge shape that resembled a 
rude axe. 

“Ah! I understand now what you’re about, 
Bry,” I exclaimed, delightedly. “Do you think 
you can make it work?” 

Bry nodded. 

“That way we make axe in Jolo-Jolo,” he said, 
proudly. 

He now handed the rude implement to Nux, 
who seemed to comprehend without words what 
was required of him, for he at once began rub¬ 
bing the edge of the stone axe upon a rough por-» 
tion of rock to smooth and sharpen it more per¬ 
fectly. 

Meanwhile Bry pried up more rock and 
formed a second axe-head, and so for several 
hours the men labored patiently at their task, 
while I, unable to be of assistance, sat watching 
them with breathless interest. 

When the second axe was ready for Nux to 
sharpen, Bry climbed up the trunk of one of the 
tall pines and, selecting a branch of the size he 
desired, with much effort cut it from the tree with 
his knife. 


201 


Sam Steele’s Adventures 


Then he descended, trimmed the branch, and 
began fashioning it into an axe-handle. He made 
no attempt to render it graceful or beautiful, you 
may be sure. The one requirement was service, 
and the wood was tough and strong enough to 
answer the purpose required. 

By the time the handle was ready Nux had 
worn the edge of the first rude stone axe to a 
fair degree of sharpness, and with it Bry split 
the end of the handle far enough down to wedge 
the axe-head between the pieces. Then he bound 
the top together with strips of bark cut from a 
young limb, which was far stronger than any cord 
would have been. 

A clumsy instrument it seemed to be, when it 
was finished; but Bry balanced it gravely in his 
hands, and swung it around his head, and nodded 
his full approval and satisfaction. 

“Now we chop down tree,” he announced. 

Of the three trees that fortunately grew upon 
the column of rock, two were evidently too short 
to reach across the gulf from where they stood. 
But the third was close to the edge, and towered 
well above its fellows; so this was the one Bry 
202 


Buried Alive! 


selected. A woodsman would probably have 
laughed at the strokes dealt by the Sulu; but Bry 
knew what he was about, for he had chopped trees 
in this way before. Too hard a blow would have 
crushed the stone edge of the weapon, and a pry¬ 
ing motion would have broken it at once; so the 
black struck straight and true, and not with too 
much force, and slowly but surely wore through 
the stalwart trunk of the tree. 

When the axe got dull he unbound the bark 
thongs and exchanged it for the other, while Nux 
re-sharpened it. This consumed a good deal of 
time, and the day was far advanced before Bry 
decided that the chopping was deep enough to 
allow them to fell the tree. This they did in a 
peculiar way, for Nux climbed into the high 
branches and then, aided by Bry and me, who 
pushed from below, he began swaying the tree 
back and forth, his own weight adding to the 
strain, until suddenly it gave way at the stump, 
and—slowly at first, but with ever accelerating 
speed—fell with a crash across the gulf. 

It looked like a trying and dangerous position 
for Nux; but the black cleverly kept on the outer 
203 


Sam Steele’s Adventures 


side of the branches, which broke his fall so per¬ 
fectly that even as the tree touched the cliff he 
sprang to the ground safe and uninjured. 

“Hooray!” I shouted, in delight; for this 
bridge removed from my heart all terrors of star¬ 
vation and imprisonment, affording us a means 
of leaving the islet of rock as soon as we pleased 
to go. 

But the sun was even now sinking below the 
horizon, so we decided not to effect the crossing 
until morning. Nux climbed back over the sway¬ 
ing trunk, and after he had rejoined us we ate the 
last crumbs of food we possessed for our supper 
and then lay down to sleep. 

Having passed the day in idleness I found I 
was not very tired or sleepy; but the blacks were 
thoroughly exhausted by their labors, and they 
welcomed the rest as only weary men can. 

Long after they were snoring I sat in the 
moonlight thinking of our strange adventures of 
the past twenty-four hours; the recovery of the 
gold, the destruction of the robbers, and our pres¬ 
ent means of release from the dangerous pin¬ 
nacle that had threatened to hold us fast prison- 
204 


Buried Alive I 


ers. And I realized, with a grateful heart, that I, 
owed all of my good fortune and narrow escapes 
to the faithful black men, and made a vow that 
I would never in the future forget the services 
they had rendered. 


205 


CHAPTER XV. 


THE MAJOR GIVES CHASE. 

Meantime there had been much excitement 
and confusion in the camp when it was discovered 
that several of the men, including Nux and Bry, 
and even “the boy Sam,” had disappeared during 
the night with most of the gold dust that had been 
accumulated. 

I can relate fairly well what occurred, for I 
heard the story often enough afterward. 

The Major was furious with rage, at first, and 
sent at once for Uncle Naboth, whom he accused 
of being at the bottom of the plot to rob him. 

Mr. Perkins was so full of his own anxieties 
that he paid little attention to the red-bearded 
giant’s ravings. 

“I’m afraid Sam’s in trouble,” he said, ner¬ 
vously. 

“In trouble! You bet he is,” yelled the 
Major, “I’ll skin him alive when I catch him.” 
206 



The Major Gives Chase 

“That’s the point,” answered Uncle Naboth. 
“How are we to find him again? I’ll risk your 
hurting the boy, if we can only find out where 
they’ve taken him.” 

“Your niggers are gone, too,” the Major re¬ 
minded him. 

“That’s the only thing that gives me hope, 
sir,” retorted my Uncle. “Those black men are 
as faithful and honest as any men on earth, and 
I’m thinking they’re gone after Sam to try to 
rescue him.” 

“Then you think he’s been kidnapped, do 
you?” 

“Of course. The men that are missing are 
the worst of your lot—the ones that have caused 
you the most trouble in every way. There’s not 
a man from the “Flipper’s” crew among them. 
The way I figure it out is that Daggett, Larkin, 
Hayes and Judson have made a plot to steal all the 
gold, and escape with it. They robbed you first, 
and then they robbed Sam, and when the boy tried 
to make a fuss they just kidnapped him and took 
him along with them.” 


207 


Sam Steele’s Adventures 


"How about the niggers?” asked the Major, 
sarcastically. 

"That puzzles me, I’ll admit,” acknowledged 
my Uncle. “Bry and Nux may have seen the 
thieves get away with Sam, and followed after 
them, to try to rescue him. That’s the only way 
I can figure it out just now. But we’re losing 
time, Major. What’s to be done?” 

"Two things. Get back the gold, and shoot 
down the robbers like dogs. They can’t get away, 
you know. They’re somewhere on this Island, 
and I mean to find them.” 

"There’s the ship.” 

"What of it?” 

"If they get aboard and sail away we’ll be in 
a bad box.” 

"How can they get aboard? We’ve got the 
small boats.” 

They can make a raft, or even swim out to 
the ship,” returned Uncle Naboth, shrewdly. 
"I tell you, Major, you’re wasting time. Why 
don’t you do something?” 

The Major glanced at him as if undecided 
whether to be angry with him or not. But Mr. 
208 


The Major Gives Chase 

Perkins was undoubtedly right, and the miners 
were gathering outside the door with curses and 
threats against the men who had robbed them, for 
the news had quickly spread throughout the camp. 

So their leader sent six men, heavily armed, 
in the ship’s long-boat to board the “Flipper” and 
protect the vessel from being captured. These 
were all his own men, for he still suspected that 
the “Flipper’s” crew were in some way implicated 
in the theft. 

Then he picked four miners and four of the 
sailors to form a party to search for the robbers, 
and decided to lead the band himself and to take 
Uncle Naboth with him. The rest of the men 
were ordered to resume their work of washing 
out gold. 

“I’m going to trust you, Perkins,” said the 
Major, “for your loss is as great as ours, and 
you seem anxious over that boy of yours. But if 
I meet with any treachery I’ll shoot you on the 
spot; and if I find that Sam Steele is one of the 
thieves I’ll show him no mercy, I promise you.” 

“Quite satisfactory, sir,” answered Uncle Na- 


209 


Sam Steele’s Adventures 


both, calmly. “Only let us get started as soon as 
possible.” 

It was a puzzle at first to know in which direc¬ 
tion to look for the fugitives; but Ned Britton 
had been carefully inspecting the edge of the 
forest, and came upon one of the paths Daggett 
had made in the course of his various wanderings 
inland. It was not the one we had taken, but 
away they started through the,thicket, on a false 
scent, and the entire day was consumed in a vain 
search. 

As they sat over their camp fire at evening 
Ned proposed that they try the other side of the 
island the following day. 

“It’s there where the ship lies anchored, sir,” 
he told the Major; “and it’s most likely the men 
are in that neighborhood. The paths we’ve been 
following today are old trails that lead nowhere 
in particular, and there’s no use going any further 
in this direction.” 

This proposition was so sensible that the 
Major at once agreed to it, and daybreak saw 
them tramping through the tangled underbrush 
toward the opposite side of the Island. Britton, 


210 


The Major Gives Chase 

who had a good sense of direction and knew 
about where the ship lay, undertook to guide 
them, and was fortunate enough to strike the 
trail of the robbers about the middle of the after¬ 
noon. The tracks lay directly toward the beach, 
and they pressed on with renewed vigor; but the 
heat was terribly oppressive in the more open 
country they had now reached, and the men were 
all exhausted by the long tramp. When, a little 
later, the sky grew black and the storm burst 
upon them, they withdrew to a thick grove of 
trees and rigged up’a temporary shelter with their 
blankets, beneath which they passed the night. 

The storm raged all around them, and oc- . 
casionally the crash of a fallen tree startled their 
nerves; but the high cliff broke the force of the 
wind and the lightning was less severe than it 
was directly on the coast. 

Uncle Naboth thought of me more than once 
during this rage of the elements, and hoped I 
was safe from harm; indeed, his anxiety was so 
great that he scarcely closed his eyes throughout 
the night. 

At daybreak they left their shelter and gazed 


211 


Sam Steele’s Adventures 


wonderingly at the scene of devastation around 
them. The storm had wrought fearful havoc 
everywhere, and when they resumed their jour¬ 
ney their progress was necessarily slow and diffi¬ 
cult. 

Still they labored on, and in the afternoon 
passed through the forest and came upon the 
coast directly opposite the place where the “Flip¬ 
per” still rode at anchor under bare masts. She 
seemed to have escaped all danger from the storm, 
and although the sea was still rolling high the 
good ship nodded her prow to each wave with a 
grace that betokened she was still in good con- 
. dition. 

“Well, boys, the robbers haven’t got her yet!” 
cried Uncle Naboth, delightedly. 

“No; but they’ve had a try for it already,” 
said the Major, significantly, as he pointed to a 
half-finished raft that had been lifted high by 
the waves of the previous night and wedged 
fast between two great trees. “Evidently the 
scoundrels don’t know we have sent a squad to 
guard the ship.” 

"We’re on their trail, all right,” remarked 


212 


The Major Gives Chase 

Ned Britton, after examining the crudely con¬ 
structed raft carefully. “But where do you sup¬ 
pose they are ?” 

“Somewhere on the coast, of course, 1 ” said 
Uncle Naboth. “Let’s walk up the edge of the 
bay to the inlet, and see if they’re in that direc¬ 
tion.” 

So they made for the inlet, failing, of course, 
to find any traces of the thieves. They were seen 
from the deck of the “Flipper” by the men who 
had been sent aboard in the long boat, and the 
Major signaled them to remain where they were 
for the present. 

After a brief halt the little band retraced their 
steps to examine the coast in the other direction, 
and another night overtook them within hailing 
distance of the rocky peak where I and my two 
blacks were resting beside our newly acquired 
bridge to await impatiently the morning. But 
the Major’s party was, of course, unaware of 
this, and went into camp in a hollow where the 
light of their fire was unobserved by us. 

At daybreak, however, Uncle Naboth and Ned 
Britton were up and anxiously exploring the 
213 


Sam Steele’s Adventures 


coast; and presently they saw, a little distance 
away, the tall form of Bryonia walking carefully 
across our tree trunk. The black almost fell into 
the arms of Uncle Naboth, as he stepped off the 
tree and the old man’s first anxious question was: 

“'Where’s Sam?” 

“Here I am, Uncle!” I called from my rode. 
“I’ll be with you in a minute, but we’ve got to 
get the gold over first.” 

“The gold!” cried Uncle Naboth, in amaze¬ 
ment. “Have you got it, then, after all ?” 

“To be sure,” said I, with a touch of pride, 
“every grain of it!” 

Uncle Naboth groaned. 

“I didn’t think as you’d do it, Sam, my boy/* 
he said regretfully. 

“I couldn’t have done it, without Nux and 
Bry,” I answered, not understanding that I had 
been accused of the theft. 

The old man turned reproachfully to Bry, 
who stood grinning beside him. 

“Did I ever teach you to steal, sir?” he de¬ 
manded, sternly. 


214 


The Major Gives Chase 

“Takin’ gold from robbers ain’t stealin’,” re¬ 
plied the black, in a calm tone. 

“What robbers? 

“Daggett, an’ Pete, an’-” 

“Oh, I see!” exclaimed Uncle Naboth, a light 
breaking in upon his confused mind. “They 
stole the gold from the camp, I suppose, and you 
and Sam have followed them up, and got it back 
again ?” 

“That’s it, exactly, Uncle!” I declared from 
my side of the precipice, where I could hear every 
word spoken. “I’ll tell you the whole story bye 
and bye.” 

Just then I was wondering if I dared cross 
the tree. It seemed very frail, and the rounded 
trunk was difficult to walk upon. Should I lose 
my balance there were only a few slender branches 
to cling to in order to keep from toppling over 
into the gulf below. 

Bry saw my dilemma, however, and running 
lightly across the tree again he caught me up 
bodily and perched me upon his broad shoulders. 

“Hold fast, Mars Sam,” he called, and the 
next moment stepped out fearlessly and, while 
215 



Sam Steele’s Adventures 


Uncle Naboth held his breath in grim suspense, 
the black crossed the swaying tree and dropped 
me safely on the other side. 

The old man had barely time to grasp both 
my hands in a warm clasp when the big Major 
came up, blowing and sputtering, with the bal¬ 
ance of the party. 

“Well, where’s the rest o’ the thieves?” he 
cried out, glaring fiercely at me and then at Bry. 

“Under that rock, sir,” I answered gravely, 
with a shudder at the recollection of their dread¬ 
ful punishment; and then, in as few words as pos¬ 
sible, I told the story of our adventures, relating 
how we had followed the robbers and recovered 
the gold, and of the great storm that had sent the 
rocking-stone hurling into the chasm to seal up 
the evil band in a living tomb. 

Even the Major was impressed by the weird 
tale, and Uncle Naboth wiped the sweat from his 
brow as he leaned over the cliff and marked the 
immense wedge of rock that had closed forever 
the mouth of the cavern. 

“It seems there’s no one left to punish,” 
growled the red-beard, in a low voice; “and I’m 
216 


The Major Gives Chase 

glad the fate of those scoundrels was taken out of 
my hands. As for you, young man,” turning sud¬ 
denly to me, “you’ve acted splendidly, an’ so have 
the niggers. Let’s shake hands all ’round!” 

I felt my face turn as red as the Major’s 
whiskers at this unexpected praise. 

“Hooray!” yelled Ned Britton, and the others 
joined him in a mighty shout of approval. 

Then Ned and Bry crossed the tree to where 
Nux was still standing on the peak, and hoisted 
the loaded trousers to Bryonia’s back. Nux 
crossed over in front and Ned Britton behind the 
bearer of the precious gold, to save him if he made 
a misstep; but their caution was unnecessary. 
The big Sulu was as sure-footed as a goat, and 
safely deposited his burden at the Major’s feet. 
Then we all returned to the near-by camp for 
breakfast, after which, the gold being taken from 
the trousers and distributed into several small 
packages, that they might be more easily carried, 
Nux was given his leg-coverings again, to his 
infinite satisfaction. 

“And now,” said the Major, “we’ll make 
tracks for the camp. We’ve been away a long 
217 


Sam Steele’s Adventures 

time, but we’ve got the gold back, and got rid of 
the worst characters among the lot of us; so 
there’s nothing much to grumble over, after alL ,, 


218 


CHAPTER XVI. 


THE GRAVE CAPTAIN GAY. 

Perhaps it was only natural that I should be¬ 
come the hero of the miners when the camp was at 
last reached and the men learned the strange story 
of our recovery of the gold. Nux and Bry also 
came in for a good share of praise, which they 
well deserved, and it seemed as if the adventure 
had established a permanent good feeling between 
the gold seekers and our crew of the “Flipper/’ 
There was no more suspicion on either side, and 
when the Major made a new division of the re¬ 
covered gold he generously insisted that I should 
receive even more than I had been robbed of, for 
my share. Whatever the Major’s faults might 
be, he was certainly liberal in his dealings with 
others, and Uncle Naboth was greatly pleased 
with the profitable result of an adventure that had 
at first threatened to ruin the fortunes of the firm 
of Perkins & Steele. 


219 



Sam Steele’s Adventures 


No one mourned very much over the death of 
the men who had stolen the gold; on the contrary, 
there was a feeling of general relief that the four 
desperadoes were unable to cause any more 
trouble. Therefore the camp resumed its former 
routine, and the miners set to work with renewed 
vigor to wash out the golden grains from the rich 
sands of the inlet. 

It was about this time that the grave and re¬ 
served Captain Gay proved himself to be a genius, 
and by an act of real cleverness that crowned his 
name with glory materially shortened the stay 
of our entire community on the island. 

The Captain had worked side by side with 
the common sailors, for the Major showed no 
favoritism, and insisted that every able-bodied 
man should perform his share of the work. Even 
Uncle Naboth had from the first day of our cap¬ 
ture toiled from morning till night; but he ac¬ 
cepted his tasks with rare good nature, and fre¬ 
quently confided to me, in his droll way, that his 
enforced labor had added ten years to his life. 

“I was gettin’ altogether too chunked and 
fat,” he said one evening, “and likely enough I’d 


220 


The Grave Captain Gay 

V been troubled sooner or later with apoplexy or 
dropsical. But now I’ve lost twenty or thirty 
pounds weight, an’ feel as lively as a cricket in 
a hornet’s nest. Work’s a good thing, Sam. I’m 
glad the Major made me do it. Probably he’s 
saved my life by his cussedness.” 

Captain Gay had been working at the upper 
end of the inlet, near to the place where a slender 
mountain stream fell from a precipice above and 
mingled its fresh water with that of the inlet. 
This stream fell upon a rocky bottom, but in 
course of years it had worn a bowl-shaped hollow 
in the rock, which could be distinctly observed 
through the transparent water. 

‘There ought to be a lot of gold in that hol¬ 
low,” Ned Britton had remarked to the Captain 
one day. “I’ve an idea all the gold we find in the 
sands of the inlet has been brought here by the 
mountain streams.” 

“I’ve been thinking that, myself,” answered 
the Captain; but it was a week later that he 
climbed the rock and followed the bent of the 
stream for nearly a mile, marking carefully the 
lay of the land. 


221 


Sam Steele’s Adventures 


The next morning he went to the Major with 
his plan, which was nothing less than a proposal 
to turn the stream from its bed, several hundred 
yards above, and let it follow a new course and 
reach the inlet a hundred feet distant from its 
present fall. 

The Major stared thoughtfully at the Captain 
for a time, and then followed him up the stream 
and made a careful examination of the territory. 
The result was an order for all the seamen of the 
“Flipper” to place themselves at the disposal of 
Captain Gay and obey his orders. 

In three days they had built a dam of* rocks 
and brushwood nearly across the stream, and 
pried away the banks in another place to allow 
the water to escape by the new channel. 

The fourth day the opening was closed in the 
dam, and the stream plunged away on its new 
course, leaving its former bed practically dry. 

Immediately the men ran down to the inlet, 
where the Major himself waded to the hollow 
caused by the previous fall of water and dipped 
up a pan of sand from the cavity. Upon exami¬ 
nation it proved richer in gold than any of us had 


222 


The Grave Captain Gay 

anticipated, the sands containing many small nug¬ 
gets which, being heavier than the grains of 
metal, had been accumulating for many years in 
the basin. 

All .hands were set to work in this locality, 
and inspired by the rich harvest that rewarded 
their toil, they labored early and late, until the 
bags of dust and nuggets had become so numerous 
that even the Major was filled with amazement. 

But this was not all that was gained by turn¬ 
ing the mountain stream from its bed. In several 
hollows up above Captain Gay discovered rich 
deposits of small nuggets that were secured with 
ease, and two weeks later the Major called a 
meeting of all the members of the party on the 
sands before his tent. 

“Boys,” said he, “we’ve got enough to make 
every one of us rich for life. What’s the use of 
staying here longer? I’m getting homesick, for 
one, and a good many of you are longing to get 
back to the States and begin spending your piles. 
What do you say—shall we board the ship and go 
home ?” 

“Yes!” they yelled, without a dissenting voice. 

223 


Sam Steele’s Adventures 


“Then,” said the Major, “tomorrow we'll 
divide the spoils, so that every man has his honest 
share; and then we’ll pay our passage money to 
Mr. Perkins and sail away home.” 

The division was accomplished with very little 
dissatisfaction or friction, for the worst elements 
in our assorted company had been removed," and 
the Major was absolutely just in his decisions. 
One or two, to be sure, grumbled that the pro¬ 
visions from the “Flipper” had been purchased at 
too high a price, or that too much of the gold was 
set aside to pay for the passage back to San Fran¬ 
cisco; but not one objected when the Major set 
aside three heavy bags of gold to reward Captain 
Gay for his clever feat in turning the mountain 
stream. 

When Uncle Naboth and I, in the seclusion of 
my hut, had figured out our share of the profits, 
the old man was hugely delighted. 

“My partner!” he exclaimed, slapping his 
thigh with enthusiasm, “it’s paid us better than 
three trips to Alaska! We’ve nearly made our 
fortunes, Sam, my boy, and if we get safe home 
224 


The Grave Captain Gay 

again we can thank the Major for making us his 
prisoners.” 

It did not take our party long to transfer all 
their possessions to the decks of the “Flipper,” 
where the ship’s carpenter and part of the crew 
had been sent beforehand’to clear up^the rigging, 
ship a new rudder, and make some repairs that 
had been rendered necessary by the storm that 
had driven us to this strange island. 

To my own inexperienced eyes the damage 
had been so great that it seemed as if the sailors 
would require weeks in which to make the vessel 
fit to put to sea again; so that I was astonished, 
when I went aboard, to note how quickly the task 
had been accomplished. Indeed, the “Flipper” 
seemed as trim and staunch as when she last 
sailed out of the Golden Gate, and doubtless she 
was fully able to bear us all safely home again. 

All our party having been, put-^aboard,^to¬ 
gether with their property, CaptainTGaylordered 
the anchors hoisted, and at eleven!ok:lock;onTthe 
morning of September i6tli^ 'the. ^Flipper” 
headed out to sea before a fair breeze.’ 

The quarters aft had been given up tol the 
225 


Sam Steele’s Adventures 


miners, most of whom were obliged to swing 
hammocks in the cabin. The mate offered his 
little room to the Major and bunked with the sail¬ 
ors in the forecastle; but Captain Gay and Mr. 
Perkins retained their own rooms, and so did I, 
in order to watch over the firm’s gold, which was 
stowed carefully away in my lockers. You may 
be sure I was glad to get back to my books and 
my comfortable bed again, and overjoyed to find 
myself on the way to a more civilized land. 

As the ship stood out to sea, the Major, who 
had been pacing the deck with a thoughtful brow, 
noticed Captain Gay taking his bearings with the 
aid of the sextant, while I stood by observing 
him. At once the big man’s countenance cleared, 
and he strode over to us and anxiously watched 
the Captain while the latter made notes of his ob¬ 
servations. Several of the miners likewise seemed 
interested, but it was evident they did not under¬ 
stand in the least what the Captain was doing. 

No sooner, however, had Captain Gay re¬ 
turned to his cabin, where at his request I fol¬ 
lowed him, than the Major knocked for admit- 
226 


The Grave Captain Gay 

tance, and being invited to enter he cautiously 
closed the door after him and said: 

‘‘You’ve relieved me of a greatlworry, Cap¬ 
tain. I was afraid we’d'never be ablelto find .this 
island again. But the .sextant 'gives QrouLthe~ lati¬ 
tude and longitude, doesn’t it?” 

Captain Gay nodded, and lookedlthoughtfully 
out of his little windowlafthe fast receding island; 

“That island’s mine,” continued the Major, 
in a,stern voice; “and I shall claim it until some 
one else proves a better right to the place.” 

Still the Captain made no reply. 

The Major stared at him as though he had 
just discovered the man. 

“Does any one else aboard know how to use 
those instruments?” he finally asked. 

“No one,” answered the Captain, briefly. 

“Then the secret is safe with us,” resumed the 
Major. “I’ll just trouble you, my good fellow, 
to give me the exact latitude and longitude of the 
island. I’ll mark them down in my note-book.” 

“Come to me tomorrow noon,” said Captain 

Gay. 

“Why tomorrow noon ?” with a sudden frown. 

227 


Sam Steele’s Adventures 


“Can’t you understand? Don’t you know it 
requires hours to figure out so complicated a 
problem ?” 

“Oh, does it?” 

A nod. 

‘‘.Well, I’ll come in tomorrow. But under¬ 
stand^ not a word of the true reckoning to a soul 
on board. Not even to Perkins or the boy here, 
who has no business to be listening to this con¬ 
versation, and had better forget it. The island 
is mine!” 

Captain Gay sat silent, merely drumming with 
his fingers on the little table before him. The 
Major gave him another curious look and stalked 
away, whistling softly to himself, as if something 
had occurred to puzzle him. Indeed, the Cap¬ 
tain’s face was so set and stern that it made me 
uncomfortable, and I soon left him and returned 
to my own room. 

The “Flipper” made good time during the 
afternoon, and before darkness fell those on 
board saw the island where they had labored so 
hard and endured so much, gradually sink into 
the sea and disappear. 


228 


The Grave Captain Gay 

The breeze held all through the night, and 
daybreak found the sturdy ship plowing steadily 
onward over the waste of gray waters. The sail¬ 
ors had fallen into their usual routine and per¬ 
formed their labors with mechanical precision, 
while the miners lay around the deck and watched 
them with the interest landsmen usually show 
when on a sailing ship. 

At the stroke of twelve I saw the Major 
promptly approach the Captain’s room, where I 
knew the seaman was busily engaged in writing. 

Wishing to learn the result of this second in¬ 
terview I crept forward and without hesitation 
established myself beside the door, which the red- 
beard had carelessly left ajar. I even ventured to 
peer curiously through the opening; but neither 
of the men observed my intrusion. 

The Major for a moment stood staring with 
the same wondering gaze he had bestowed on 
Captain Gay the day before; but suddenly his 
face brightened and he said: 

“By Jupiter! I’ve struck it at last!” 

“Struck what?” asked the Captain, looking 

up. 


229 


Sam Steele’s Adventures 


“The resemblance that bothered me. You’re 
the living image of that man Daggett, who caused 
us that trouble on the island. It’s a wonder I 
never noticed it before.” 

The Captain flushed, but said nothing. 

“No relation, I hope?” queried the Major, 
grinning. 

“To Daggett?” 

“Yes; the scoundrel who stole our gold.” 

Captain Gay had resumed his writing, but 
said, lightly, as if the matter was too preposter¬ 
ous to be treated seriously: 

“Is it likely, sir?” 

But already the Major’s mind had turned to a 
more important subject. 

“I’ve come for that little memorandum, sir.” 

“What memorandum?” asked the Captain, 
quietly. 

“The location of the island.” 

“Oh; I can’t give it to you,” said the other. 
“When you left this room yesterday the draft 
from the open door caught the paper I had made 
my figures on, and carried it out of the window. 
So the record is lost.” 


230 



“ Leave this room, sir ! ” 

\ 

















































, 






































































































































. 




. 
























































































\ 











































The Grave Captain Gay 

“Lost!” The Major stared at him in amaze¬ 
ment. 

“Absolutely lost, sir.” 

“Do you mean to tell me you don’t know 
where that island is?” demanded the Major* 
fiercely. 

“I haven’t the slightest idea of its location. 
During the night the helmsman altered our course 
several times, steering by the stars. I think we’re 
going in the right direction, but I can tell better 
when I’ve taken our observations for today. Un¬ 
fortunately, however, that won’t help us to locate 
the island.” 

The Major sat down heavily on a chest. The 
information he had received fairly dazed him, but 
his gaze remained firmly fixed on. the Captain’s 
expressionless face. 

After a time he gave a laugh, and said: 

“I told you yesterday that island was mine. 
I’ll take that back. It’s yours and mine. You’ll 
share it with me, Captain Gay, I’m sure.” 

“It is still yours, Major, as far as I’m con¬ 
cerned. If I knew its location, I would tell you 


233 


Sam Steele’s Adventures 


willingly. But I don’t. You’ll have to find your 
property yourself.” 

The Major sprang up with an oath. 

“You infernal scoundrel!” he cried, “do you 
think I’ll be played with like this? Give me the 
location of that island, or by the nine great gods, 
I’ll kill you where you sit!” 

“Leave this room, sir.” 

The Captain was angry too, by this time. He 
stood erect and pointed with dignity to the door¬ 
way, from which I dodged with alacrity. 

“I command this ship, sir,” he said, “and here 
my will is law. I’ll endure no browbeating, 
Major, or any insolence from you or any of my 
passengers. On the island I obeyed you. Here 
you will obey me, or I’ll lock you fast in your 
cabin. Leave this room!” 

The Major stood irresolute a moment. Then 
sullenly and slowly, he quit the cabin and returned 
to the deck. 

Even to my wondering but immature intellect 
it was evident that Captain Gay had won the 
battle. 


234 


CHAPTER XVII. 


WE GIVE UP THE SHIP. 

The “Flipper” made good time, and sighted 
the Oregon coast on the morning of the fifth day. 
From there she followed the dim outlines of the 
distant land down to the Golden Gate, and cast 
anchor safely and without event, in the bay of San 
Francisco. 

The Major had been sullen and ill-tempered 
during the entire voyage, but although he made 
repeated efforts to see Captain Gay privately and 
renew his request for the location of the golden 
island, that officer positively refused to hold any 
further communication with him. 

Therefore the Major was helpless. After all,, 
the Captain might be speaking the entire truth; 
and if so all argument was useless. Threats da 
not affect a man of his temperament, and beyond 
threats the Major did not care to go, even to se- 
sure the information he wished. Bribery, in such 
235 



Sam Steele’s Adventures 


a case, was absurd. Therefore nothing could be 
done but bear the disappointment with a good 
grace. The Major’s fortune was, for the pres¬ 
ent, ample, and I wondered why he should ever 
care to visit the island again. 

As soon as the anchors were dropped the min¬ 
ers clamored to be set ashore, and by night they 
had all quitted the ship and established them¬ 
selves in lodgings in the town, from whence they 
at once flocked to the bankers and began to turn 
their golden grains into cash. 

Uncle Naboth and I remained on board an¬ 
other day. There were settlements to be made 
with the sailors and various other details that 
needed attention at the close of the voyage; so 
that I was kept busy with my books of accounts 
and Uncle Naboth stood constantly at my elbo\y 
to give me the necessary instructions. 

We both longed to be on shore again, how¬ 
ever; so as soon as the last formalities were com¬ 
pleted, we put our heavy sacks of gold into a boat 
and carried them to the docks, from whence an 
escort of our trusty sailors accompanied us to the 
236 


We Give Up the Ship 

bank wherein Mr. Perkins was accustomed to 
keep his deposits. 

So many ships had lately returned from 
Alaska bearing gold from the mines that Mr. 
Perkins' heavy deposit aroused no wonder except 
as to its extent, and the banker warmly congratu¬ 
lated him upon his good fortune in making so 
successful a voyage. 

Both Uncle Naboth and I remained at the 
bank until every sack of gold had been carefully 
weighed and sealed, and the proper receipt given. 
Then, breathing freely for the first time since the 
gold had been in our possession, we repaired to 
my Uncle's former lodging house, where Mr. 
Perkins was warmly welcomed. 

“We’ll have the best dinner tonight the estab¬ 
lishment can set up, Sam, my boy,” said the old 
man, rubbing his hands gleefully together; “for 
we've got to celebrate the success of the new part¬ 
nership. You must 'a brought the firm luck, my 
lad, for this here is the biggest haul I’ve heard of 
since I’ve been in the business. We’re rich, 
nevvy—rich as punkins!” 

237 


Sam Steele’s Adventures 


“How much do you suppose we’re worth. 
Uncle ?” I enquired, rather curiously. 

“I can’t tell exactly, o’ course, till after we’ve 
got the quality of our gold properly graded, and 
put it on the market; but my opinion is, we’re at 
least fifty thousand dollars to the good.” 

“As much as that!” I exclaimed, greatly 
elated. 

“Full as much, I judge.” 

“Then,” said I, drawing a sigh of relief, “I 
can pay Mrs. Ranck that four hundred dollars I 
owe her for my board.” 

Uncle Naboth made a wry face. 

“It’s a shame to throw good money away on 
that old termagan’,” he remarked, “and I’ve no 
doubt she’s been overpaid already, by stealin’ the 
contents o’ Cap’n Steele’s chest. But if it’d make 
you feel easier in your mind, Sam, I’ll fix it so 
you can send her the money as soon as you like.” 

“Thank you, Uncle,” I replied, gratefully,, 
“I’ll never be happy until the debt is off my 
shoulders. Whether she’s entitled to the money 
or not, I promised Mrs. Ranck I’d pay the debt* 
and I want to keep my word.” 

238 


We Give Up the Ship 

“An’ so you shall,” said Uncle Naboth, with 
an approving nod. 

We feasted royally at dinner, and afterward 
Uncle Naboth took me to the theatre, where we 
sat in the top gallery among the crowd of labor¬ 
ers and sailors, but enjoyed the play very much 
indeed. 

“Some folks who had just banked fifty thous¬ 
and,remarked my Uncle, reflectively, “would 
want to sit down there among them nabobs, in a 
seat that costs a dollar apiece—or perhaps two 
dollars, for all I know. But what’s the use, Sam ? 
Do they hear or see any better than we do up 
here?” 

“Probably not,” I answered, with a smile. 

“Then we’re getting as much fun for our 
quarter as they get for a dollar,” declared Uncle 
Naboth, chuckling, “an’ tomorrow mornin’ we’ll 
be so much richer, an’ nothin’ lost by it. Sam, 
the secret o’ spendin’ money ain’t in puttin’ on 
airs; it’s in gettin’ all the pleasure out of a nickel 
that the nickel will buy. ‘Live high,’ is my 
motto; but do it economical. That’s the true 
philosophy o’ life.” 


239 


Sam Steele’s Adventures 


Next morning, as we were sitting in Uncle 
Naboth’s little room, we were surprised by the 
entrance of Captain Gay. He was accompanied 
by two of the sailors from the “Flipper,” bearing 
in their arms the easily recognized canvas sacks 
of gold from the island- 

The Captain motioned his men to place the 
sacks upon the rickety table, (which nearly 
collapsed beneath the weight), and then ordered 
them to leave the room. When they were gone 
he carefully closed the door and turning to my 
Uncle said, abruptly: 

“There, sir, is every grain of gold I got in that 
accursed island. The most of it was given me for 
turning the bed of the mountain stream, as you 
will remember.” 

“No more than you deserved, sir,” said Uncle 
Naboth, puffing his pipe vigorously. 

“It ought to be worth a good deal of money,” 
continued the Captain, his voice faltering slightly. 

“Twenty thousand at least, in my judgment,” 
said Uncle Naboth, eyeing the sacks. 

“Well, sir,” announced Captain Gay, with de- 


240 


We Give Up the Ship 

cision, “I want to exchange this gold for a bill 
of sale of the ship.” 

“What! The ‘Flipper?’” 

“Yes, sir.” 

Uncle Naboth winked at me gravely, as if to 
convey the suggestion that the man had gone 
crazy. 

“Cap’n,” said he, after a pause, “I don’t mean 
to say as Sam and I won’t sell the ship, if 
you’d like to buy her; but the tub is old, and has 
seen her best days. She’s worth about six thous¬ 
and dollars, all told, and not a penny more.” 

“You must take all that gold or nothing, sir.” 

“What do you mean?” asked my Uncle, in 
amazement. 

Captain Gay sat down and looked thought- 
full out of the window. 

“Perhaps I must take you into my confidence,” 
he remarked, in his slow, quiet tones, “although 
at first I had thought this action would be unnec¬ 
essary. I’ve an idea I’d like to own a ship myself, 
and to trade in a small way between here and 
Portland.” 

“And the golden island, occasionally; eh, 
241 


Sam Steele’s Adventures 


Cap’n?” returned Uncle Naboth, shrewdly. “I’ve 
heard from Sam here how you lost the paper con¬ 
taining your observations; but, I suppose you 
could find the place again, if you wanted to.” 

Captain Gay flushed a deep red. 

“Sir,” he answered, “you wrong me with your 
suspicions. I shall never revisit that island un¬ 
der any circumstances. Nor do I wish anyone 
else to do so. That is the true explanation of 
why I lost that paper.” 

“Did you lose it?” 

“I threw it overboard.” 

Uncle Naboth whistled. 

“I’m free to confess, sir, that I’m all at sea,” 
he said. 

The Captain arose and paced the room with 
unusual agitation. 

“Mr. Perkins,” said he, “I once had an older 
brother, who, when a boy, robbed my father and 
ran away from home. I never saw him again un¬ 
til we reached that island, where I recognized my 
erring brother in the man who called himself 
Daggett.” 

242 


We Give Up the Ship 

Uncle Naboth scratched a match, and relit 
his pipe. 

“I marked the resemblance between you,” 
he observed, “but I thought nothing of it.” 

“To my grief I saw that he had not altered his 
course for the better,” resumed the Captain. “Of 
his final theft of the gold and the awful judg¬ 
ment that overtook him and his fellows you are 
well aware. I shall never forget the horror of 
those days, sir. It seems to me that that isolated 
unknown island is my brother’s* tomb, where he 
must lie until the call of the last judgment. I 
do not wish anyone ever to visit the spot again, 
if I can help it.” 

“That’s nonsense,” declared Uncle Naboth, 
coldly. 

“Perhaps so; but it’s the way I feel. That’s 
why I don’t wish to touch the gold. I’ll take the 
ship in exchange for it, but I won’t use the stuff 
in any other way, or have anything more to do 
with it.” 

“You’re foolish,” said Uncle Naboth, with a 
sternness quite foreign to his nature. “But if 
you really want to give away a matter of twenty 
243 


Sam Steele’s Adventures 

thousand for an old hulk that’s worth about six. 
I’ll let you have your way.” 

“That’s my desire, sir,” announced our visi¬ 
tor, meekly. 

“Well, then, we’ll go to a lawyer and draw up 
the papers. Sam, you stay here and look after 
the gold, till I get back.” 

“Very well, sir,” I replied, full of wonder at 
this queer business transaction. 

Together they left the room, and it was an 
hour before Mr. Perkins returned. 

“I signed for both of us, partner,” he said, 
briskly, “an’ the ‘Flipper’s’ now the sole property 
of Cap’n Gay. With the money this gold will 
bring, we can buy a ship twice as good as the 
old one, in which, with good luck to back us, we 
ought to make marry a prosperous voyage.” . 

“Why do you think he did it, sir,” I enquired 
musingly. 

“It’s just one of two things,” replied Mr. 
Perkins. “Either the man’s a bit cracked, as I’ve 
sometimes suspected, and really feels sentimental 
about his brother’s death, or else he’s got a sly 
scheme to make trips to the island in an old ship 
244 


We Give Up the Ship 

that won’t*attract attention, and bring away many 
cargoes of gold. That ain’t so unlikely, Sam. 
No one will remark on Cap’n Gay’s owning the 
old ship he’s commanded for years; but if he 
bought a new one, and started out for the island, 
he might be watched and his true business sus¬ 
pected. Either the feller’s mighty deep, or mighty 
innocent; but it ain’t our business to decide 
which. We’ve got the money, and now we’ll look 
for a newer and finer ship.” 

“New England’s the best place to buy a good 
ship, sir. I’ve often heard my father say so,” I 
suggested. 

“Then let’s go to New England,” returned 
Uncle Naboth, promptly. “We’ll travel together, 
and you can run up to Batteraft and pay the old 
hag that money.” 

“I’d like to do that,” said I, greatly pleased. 
“It would do me good to see her surprise when 
she finds I’ve earned so much money already.” 

“Then it’s all settled,” declared Uncle Na¬ 
both. “I’ll go up to the village with you, and see 
fair play. ’Twould be a fine chance to give that 
245 


Sam Steele’s Adventures 

cankered Venus a piece of my mind, just as a 
parting shot.” 

“Would you dare, sir,” I asked, recollecting 
his former experience with Mrs. Ranck. 

“Would I dare? Do you take me for a cow¬ 
ard, then?” demanded the old man, indignantly. 

“No, sir, but I remember-” 

“Never mind that, Sam. I was worried about 
other things that day, and wasn’t quite myself. 
But now —well, just wait till I get the old serpent 
face to face. That’s all!” 

“All right, Uncle. When shall we go?” 

“Just as soon as we’ve paid all the bills and 
settled our accounts for the last voyage. A 
week’ll do that, I reckon. An’ now, partner, just 
run out and hire a closed carriage, and we’ll get 
Cap’n Gay’s gold to the bank as soon as possible. 
Sam, my boy, if this streak o’ luck holds good 
we’ll be the envy of Rockyfeller in a few years!” 


246 



CHAPTER XVIII. 


uncle naboth’s revenge. 

Ten days later, having paid all our indebted¬ 
ness and converted every ounce of our gold into 
ready money that was deposited to the credit of 
“Perkins & Steele,” at the bank, we started on 
what Uncle Naboth called our “voyage” across 
the continent. 

We had both taken a strong liking for Ned 
Britton, who has stood by us so faithfully at the 
island; so Mr. Perkins decided to make Ned the 
mate of the new ship, when she had been pur¬ 
chased. For this reason, and because the sailor 
wished to revisit some of his relatives in the East 
and make them happy by sharing with them his 
prize money, Ned also traveled on the same train 
with us. 

“Britton’s judgment will be useful in helping 
us to pick out a ship,” said the old man. “I’m 
glad he’s going with us.” 

247 



Sam Steele’s Adventures 


Nux and Bryonia had promptly deserted the 
“Flipper” as soon as they found that Captain Gay 
had purchased her, and I think my hardest task 
was to leave the simple black men behind me. 
They declared that they belonged to “the firm” 
and must be given places on the new ship, and this 
both Uncle Naboth and I were anxious to do, as 
we knew we .could never again find such loyal 
and unselfish servants. But it would be folly to 
take them east until all arrangements had been 
made. So I found them comfortable lodgings, 
and supplied them with all the money they could 
possibly require until they were sent for. At the 
last moment they were at the station to see the 
train move away, and were so fearful of the iron 
monster that was to carry their friends on the 
journey that they cautioned me again and again 
to be very careful in my actions. 

“’Fore all, Mars Sam,” said Nux, earnestly, 
“doan’ you go skeer dat injine on no ’count. 
W’en it’s skeert it smashes ev’ything into mush.” 

“ ’Pears gentle ’nouf now, Sam,” added Bry; 
“but don’ you trust it, no how. ’Tain’t safe, like 
a great sail an’ a stiff breeze.” 

248 


Uncle Naboth’s Revenge 


“Right you are, lad,” cried Uncle Naboth, 
approvingly. “Injines is an invention of the devil, 
Bry, but good Christians can use ’em if they only 
watch out. An’ now, good bye, an’ take care o' 
yourselves till we get back or send for you.” 

On account of our great wealth, Mr. Perkins 
had decided to take a tourist sleeping-car for the 
trip, rather than sit up in the seats of the common 
cars all night. 

“Sleepin’ cars is a genuine luxury, Sam,” he 
said, “an’ only fit for the very rich, who’ve got 
so much money they won’t miss it, or the very 
poor, who’ve got so little there’s no use savin’ it. 
I guess we can afford the treat, and the bunks in 
this ’ere tourist car is jest as big as the ones in the 
high-priced coaches ahead. So as soon as we get 
clear of ’Frisco, let’s go to bed.” 

“But it isn’t dark yet, Uncle,” I protested. 
“It won’t be bedtime for hours.” 

“Sam,” replied the old man, earnestly, “do 
you mean to say you’re goin’ to pay for a bed and 
let it lay idle? That’s what I call rank extrava¬ 
gance! I’ve seen it done, on my travels, o’ 
course. I’ve known a man to pay three dollars for 
249 


Sam Steele’s Adventures 


a bed, an’ then set up half the night in the smokin’ 
cars before he turns in. But do you ’spose the 
railroad company pays him back half the money ? 
Never. They just laughs at him and keeps the 
whole three dollars! To pay for a thing, and use 
it, ain’t extravagance; but to buy a bed, and then 
set up half the night is. Why, its like payin’ for 
a table-day-haughty dinner an’ then skippin’ half 
the courses! Would a sensible man do that?” 

“Not if he’s hungry, Uncle,” said I, laughing 
at this philosophy. 

“If he ain’t hungry, he buys a sandwich, an’ 
not a table-day-haughty,” cried Uncle Naboth, 
triumphantly. 

Nevertheless, being fully conscious of my 
newly acquired wealth, I recklessly sat up until 
bedtime, while my thrifty Uncle occupied his 
“bunk” and snored peacefully. The journey was 
accomplished in safety, and from Boston we took 
the little railway to the seaport town of Batteraft. 

During the last hours of the trip Uncle Na¬ 
both had become very thoughtful, and I fre¬ 
quently noticed him making laborious memoranda 
with his pencil on the backs of envelopes and 
250 


Uncle Naboth’s Revenge 


scraps of paper which he took from his wallet. 
Finally I asked: 

“What are you writing, Uncle ?” 

“I’m jest jotting down the things I mean to- 
say to that old female shark at Batteraft,” was 
the reply. “I tell you, Sam, she’s goin’ to have 
the talkin’-to of her life, when I get at her; and 
she’ll deserve every word of it. I’ll let you pay 
her first, so’s the money account will be square;, 
an’ then I’ll try to square the moral account.” 

“Will she let you ?” I enquired doubtfully, for 
I had a vivid remembrance of Mrs. Ranck’s dis¬ 
like of any opposition. 

“She can’t help herself,” replied Uncle Na¬ 
both, seriously. “If you knew the things she up 
an’ said to me that day I tackled her before, Sanv 
an’ the harsh an’ impident tones she used to say 
’em with, you’d realize how much my revenge 
means to me.” 

“Why didn’t you resent it then, Uncle?” 

“Why, she took me by surprise, an’ I didn’t 
have time to collect my parrergraphs, and that’s 
the reason. Also it’s the reason I’m figgerin’ out 
my speeches aforehand this time, so’s I won’t be 

251 


Sam Steele’s Adventures 


backwards when the time comes. You can’t 
thrash the cantankerous old termagen’ like you 
would a man, but you can lash her with speeches 
that cuts like a two-edged sword. At sarcasm 
and ironical I’m quite a professor, Sam; but them 
talents would be wasted on Mrs. Ranck. With 
her I’ll open my vials o’ wrath an’ empty ’em to 
the dregs. I’ll wither her with scorn, an’—an’— 
an’ tell her just what I think o’ her,” he con¬ 
cluded, rather lamely. 

I sighed, for the mention of Mrs. Ranck al¬ 
ways recalled to me the fate of my poor father. 
The landscape began to grow very familiar now, 
and presently the train swung into the little sta¬ 
tion where I had so often stood in my younger 
days to watch the passengers get on and off the 
cars. 

Ned Britton at once walked on to the tavern, 
but as the afternoon was only half gone Uncle 
Naboth and I decided to go on up to my father’s 
old home without delay and have our carefully 
planned interview with Mrs. Ranck. The bank¬ 
notes I was to pay to her lay crisply in my new 
pocket-book, and I was eager to be free of my 
252 


Uncle Naboth’s Revenge 


debt to the cruel woman who had aspersed my 
dead father’s character and driven me from my 
old home. 

Uncle Naboth walked very fast at first, but 
while we ascended the little hill his pace grew 
gradually slower, and as we reached the well-re¬ 
membered bench beneath the trees, from whence 
our first view of the cottage was obtained, my 
uncle suddenly set himself down and wiped the 
perspiration from his forehead with the well-re¬ 
membered crimson handkerchief. 

“We’ll rest a minute, Sam, so’s I can get my 
breath back,” he gasped. “I’ll need it all, pres¬ 
ently, and hill-climbin’ ain’t my ’special accom¬ 
plishment.” 

So I sat down beside him and waited patiently, 
eyeing the while rather sadly the old home where 
I had once been so happy. 

It semed not to have changed in any way since 
I left it. The blinds of my little room in the attic 
were closed, but those of the lower floor were 
thrown back, and a column of thin smoke as¬ 
cended lazily from the chimney, showing that the 
place was still inhabited. 

253 


Sam Steele’s Adventures 


In spite of myself I shivered. The autumn 
air struck me as being chilly for the first time, 
and the declining sun moved slowly behind a 
cloud, throwing the same gloom over the land¬ 
scape that was already in my heart. 

“Are you ready, Uncle?” I asked, unable to 
bear the suspense longer. 

“Jest a minute, Sam. Let’s see; the opening 
shot was this way: There’s folks, ma’am, Jhat 
can be more heartless than the brute beasts, more 
slyer than a roarin’ tiger, more fiercer than a yel¬ 
low fox, an’—” 

“That isn’t right, Uncle Naboth,” I inter¬ 
rupted. “The fox is sly and the tiger—” 

“I know, I know. Them speeches is gettin* 
sorter mixed in my mind; but if that she-devil 
don’t quail when she hears ’em, my name ain’t 
Naboth Perkins! Perhaps I ought to have com¬ 
mitted ’em more to memory—eh, Sam? What 
do you say to waitin’ till tomorrow?” 

“No, Uncle. Let’s go to her now. You can 
reserve your vials of wrath, if you want to; but 
I shan’t sleep a wink unless I pay Mrs. Ranck 
that money.” 


254 


Uncle Naboth’s Revenge 


“All right/’ said the old man, with assumed 
cheerfullness. “There’s no time like the pres¬ 
ent. ‘Never put off ’til tomorrer/ you know. 
Come along, my lad!” 

He sprang up and led the way with alacrity 
for a few steps, and then slackened his pace per¬ 
ceptibly. 

“If I’m goin’ to forget all them speeches,” he 
whispered, in a voice that trembled slightly, “I 
might jest as well have saved my time a-composin’ 
of ’em. Drat the old she-pirate! If she wasn’t a 
woman, I’d pitch her into the sea.” 

By this time I was myself too much agitated 
to pay attention to my uncle’s evident fright on 
the eve of battle. The house was very near now; 
a few steps further and we were standing upon 
the little porch. 

“You knock, Uncle,” I said, in a whisper. 

Uncle Naboth glanced at me reproachfully, 
and then raised his knuckles. But before they 
touched the panel of the door he paused, drew out 
his handkerchief, and again wiped his brow. 

I felt that my nerves would bear no further 
strain. With the desperation of despair or a sud- 
2 55 


Sam Steele’s^ Adventures 

den accession of courage—I never knew which— 
I rapped loudly upon the door. 

A moment’s profound silence was followed by 
a peculiar sound. Thump, thump, thump! echoed 
from the room inside, at regular intervals, and 
then the door was suddenly opened and a man 
with a wooden leg stood before us. He was 
clothed in sailor fashion and a bushy beard orna¬ 
mented his round, frank face. 

For an instant we three stood regarding one 
another in mute wonder. The open door dis¬ 
closed the long living-room, at the back end of 
which Mrs. Ranck stood by the kitchen table with 
a plate in one hand and a towel in the other, mo¬ 
tionless as a marble statue and with a look of 
terror fixed upon her white face., 

Singularly enough, I was the first to recover 
from my surprise. 

“Dad!” I cried, in a glad voice, and threw 
myself joyfully into the sailor man’s arms. 

“Why—Cap’n Steele, sir—what does this 
mean?” faltered Uncle Naboth. “I thought you 
was dead an’ gone, long ago, an’ safe in Davy 
Jones’s locker!” 


256 


CHAPTER XIX. 


THE CONQUEST OF MRS. RANCK. 

I regret to say that my father’s welcome was 
not especially cordial. Nevertheless, he was for 
some reason evidently pleased by the sudden ap¬ 
pearance of his son and his brother-in-law. Re¬ 
leasing himself gently from my clinging embrace, 
he said, in his deep, grave voice: 

“Come in and sit down. I never thought to 
see you again, Sam; and, much less you, Naboth 
Perkins. But now that you’re here, we’ll have a 
few mutual explanations.” 

Mrs. Ranch, a few paces behind him, was 
bristling like a frightened cat. 

“If them thieves an’ scoundrels enters this 
house, I’ll go out!” she fairly screamed, in her 
shrill voice. 

“Be quiet!” commanded the Captain, sternly. 
“This is my house; and, although it’s all that my 
friends have left to me,” he added, bitterly, “I’m 
257 



Sam Steele’s Adventures 


still the master under my own roof. Sit down, 
Perkins, sit down, Sam, my lad.” 

A sudden tenderness that crept into the last 
words seemed to rouse the woman to fury. 

“That’s the boy that robbed you!” she cried, 
pointing at me a trembling, bony finger. “That’s 
the boy that skinned the house of all your valey- 
bles and treasures as soon as he thought you was 
dead, and couldn’t come back to punish him! An’ 
stole all my savins’ too; and swore he’d be a pirate 
and murder and steal all his life; an’ that 
the man,” turning fiercely upon my horrified 
uncle, “as aided an’ abetted him in his wick¬ 
edness, an’ threatened to kill me if I interfered 
with Sam’s carryin’ away of your property! Cap’n 
Steele, how dare you harbor sich varmints ? Drive 
’em out, this instant, or I’ll go myself. This house 
can’t hold Sam Steele, the robber, and me at the 
same time!” 

Captain Steele looked toward me gravely as 
• I stood regarding the woman with unmistakable 
amazement. Then he turned to Naboth Perkins, 
to find the little man doubled up in his chair and 
shaking with silent laughter. A moment later he 
258 


The Conquest of Mrs. Ranck 

began to gasp and choke and cough, until, just as 
he appeared to be on the verge of convulsions, he 
suddenly straightened up and wiped the tears from 
his eyes. 

“Cap’n Steele, sir,” he said, “this is the best 
show I ever had a reserved seat at, an’ the ad¬ 
mission’s free gratis for nothin’! Why, you measly 
old she-tiger,” turning with stern abruptness to 
Mrs. Ranck, “did you ever think, fer a minute, 
that such a lyin’ tale as you’ve trumped up would 
deceive grown men ?” 

Mrs. Ranck turned away and caught her shawl 
from a peg. 

“I’ll go,” she said, sullenly. 

“No, you don’t!” exclaimed Mr. Perkins, 
bounding between her and the door of her room, 
toward which she was hastening; “you’ll stay 
right here till this mystery is cleared up. For, if 
I understand Cap’n Steele aright, he can’t find the 
property he left in this house, ner imagine what’s 
become of it; an’ you’ve been stuffing him with 
lies about Sam’s running away with it. Am I 
right, Cap’n?” 

My father nodded, gazing with lowering brow 
259 


Sam Steele’s Adventures 


upon the cowed and trembling form of the house¬ 
keeper. 

“The Cap’n’s property an’ his savin’s didn’t 
walk away by themselves,” continued Uncle Na¬ 
both, “and no one could’ a’ took ’em except Sam 
or this woman. Very good. They’re both here, 
now, an’ you’re going to clear up the mystery and 
get your money back, Cap’n, before you takes 
your eye off’n either one. Just flop into that 
chair, Mrs. Ranck, an’ if you try to wiggle away 
I’ll call the police!” 

The woman obeyed. A dull glaze had come 
over her eyes, and her features were white and set. 
In all her cunning plotting she had never imag¬ 
ined that I or my uncle would ever return to Bat- 
teraft to confound her. She believed that the 
knowledge that I was in her debt would prevent 
my coming back, in any event, and she fully ex¬ 
pected me to be buffeted here and there about the 
world, with never a chance of my being again 
heard of in my old home. 

What a mistake she had made! But it was all 
owing to this little fat man whom she had driven 
thoughtlessly from her door the day that I was 
260 


The Conquest of Mrs. Ranck 

sent away into exile. She had never heard of 
Naboth Perkins before; nor did she know, any 
more than I myself did at the time, of the part¬ 
nership formerly existing between the two men, 
or even the fact of their relationship. She felt 
that she was caught in a trap, in some unexpected 
way, and the disaster stunned her. 

Captain Steele filled and lighted his pipe be¬ 
fore the silence of the little group was again brok¬ 
en. Then, turning to me, he asked: 

“Why did you believe I was dead?” 

“One of your sailors brought the news, sir, 
and told us of the wreck. He gave Mrs. Ranck 
your watch and ring, which he believed were taken 
from your dead body.” 

“It’s a lie!” snapped the woman, desperately. 
“I never seen the watch and ring; but he said the 
Cap’n was dead, all right, an’ that’s why Sam run 
away with the property.” 

“Who was the sailor?” enquired my father, 
thoughtfully. 

“Ned Britton, sir.” 

“Aye, an honest, worthy lad, who sailed with 
me for years. And he had the watch and ring?” 

261 


Sam Steele’s Adventures 


“Yes, sir. Ned was taken with a fever when 
he escaped from the wreck, and after he recovered 
they told him that several bodies had been washed 
ashore and buried by the villagers. On one of the 
bodies they found the watch and ring, so Ned 
naturally thought you had perished.” 

“When the ship broke up,” said Captain 
Steele, slowly, “and I knew the end had come, 
I sent one of my lads to my cabin to get my 
trinkets while I attended to lowering the boats. 
I never saw him again. For my part, my leg was 
crushed by a falling mast, but I got entangled in 
the rigging and the mast floated me to a little 
island where a dozen fisher-folks lived. One was 
a bit of a doctor, and cut away my mangled leg 
and nursed me back to life. While I waited for 
a ship to touch the island I regained my strength 
and made myself a new leg out of cotton-wood. 
Then, one day, a schooner carried me to Plym¬ 
outh, and the Captain, who was a kindly man, 
loaned me enough money to bring me to Batteraft 
where I thought Fd find my savings; enough to 
buy a new ship and start business again. But 
Mrs. Ranck met me with the news that my son 
262 


The Conquest of Mrs. Ranck 

had stripped the house of all my valuables and run 
away with a man that was known to be a pirate. 
My room was quite bare, I found, and Mrs. 
Ranck claimed she had hardly enough left of her 
savings to buy food with. So here I was, a crip¬ 
ple and condemned to poverty after a successful 
career; and it’s no wonder my thoughts were bit¬ 
ter towards my son, whom I never would have be¬ 
lieved could act so ungratefully. My only com¬ 
fort was that Sam had believed me dead.” 

Uncle Naboth nodded approval. 

“Quite proper, sir,” he said, “an’ all quite 
right and shipshape. Sam didn’t take a penny’s 
worth from this house; but I made him my part¬ 
ner, in your place, and we’ve had a successful 
voyage and come back rich as Croessuses. You’ll 
live in clover, from this time on, Cap’n Steele, 
even if you never get back the property Mrs. 
Ranck has robbed you of. But why not make her 
give it up? She can’t have squandered it on 
riotous living, by the looks of her.” 

Captain Steele turned to the housekeeper. 

“What have you to say, Mrs. Ranck?” He 
asked. 


263 


Sam Steele’s Adventures 


“It’s all a pack o’ lies,” she snarled, “but there’s 
no call for you to believe me if you don’t want to. 
One thing’s certain, though. This is my house, 
an’ the deed of it’s in my name. You’ll have to 
clear out o’ here, all three of you, or I’ll have the 
law on you an’ put you out!” 

Captain Steele arose calmly and seized the 
woman by her arms. In spite of her screams and 
struggles he carried her to his own little room and 
thrust her in, locking the door safely upon her. 

“Now,” said he, “let’s explore the place and 
see what we can find. I’ve never been in Mrs. 
Ranck’s room, for until today I had no suspicions 
of her. Come with me. If she’s honest we shall 
find nothing, for she can’t have disposed of the 
property.” 

“Right you are, sir,” cried Uncle Naboth, 
springing up; and we all three at once proceeded 
to enter the room the housekeeper had for so 
many years reserved for her own use. 

It was simply and plainly furnished, and a 
single glance served to convince us that it con¬ 
tained no evidence whatever of the missing prop¬ 
erty. 


264 



Here’s the treasure house, sir,” he exclaimed triumphantly. 






















The Conquest of Mrs. Ranck 

“Strange!” said my father, musingly. “There 
were nine cases and three chests, besides the 
great sea-chest that I found still in my room, al¬ 
though emptied of all its contents. Whatever 
could have become of them all ?” 

“Dad,” I exclaimed, suddenly, “I remember 
there used to be a sort of cellar under this room, 
that could only be reached by a trap-door.” 

“True,” replied my father; “I remember that, 
too. But where is the trap?” 

Uncle Naboth was already making a careful 
inspection of the old rag carpet that covered the 
floor. In one corner the tacks seemed far apart 
and scanty. He seized the carpet and jerked it 
away from the fastenings, disclosing a small 
square trap with an iron ring in the center. 

“Here’s the treasure house, sir,” he announced 
truimphantly. 

“Get a candle, Sam,” said my father, gravely.. 

When it was brought, all three of us descend¬ 
ed the narrow stairs to the underground room, 
where the cases and chests were speedily found, 
all stored in orderly fashion against the walls. 
The contents of the great sea chest, which she 
267 


Sam Steele’s Adventures' 


had doubtless removed before admitting me to 
the Captain’s room, had been placed in boxes 
which Mrs. Ranck had secured from the grocery 
store. In addition to Captain Steele’s property, 
there was also a brass kettle almost full of gold 
and silver coins, which the miserly old woman 
had saved from the money my father had given 
her to clothe and care for me, as well as to de¬ 
fray the household expenses while the sailor was 
away upon his voyages. 

Perhaps her own wages were added to this 
store, as well; anyway, Captain Steele seemed to 
think so. For, after assuring himself that all his 
missing property was safe, he carried the kettle 
up to the living room and proceded to liberate 
Mrs. Ranck. When, scowling but subdued, she 
crept from the little room, my father offered to 
give to her the entire contents of the kettle if she 
would freely transfer to him the deed to the 
house, and quit Batteraft for good and all. 

“Its more than you deserve,” said he, “but I 
don’t want to go to the police in this matter un¬ 
less you force me to. Take the money and go, 
and never let me see your face in Batteraft again.” 

268 


The Conquest of Mrs. Ranck 

Of course she accepted the generous proposi¬ 
tion. After gathering her few clothes into a bun¬ 
dle, she took her treasure and left the house. The 
first train that left Batteraft carried her with it* 
and I have never seen her since. 

I acknowledge that I watched her go with a 
lighter and happier heart than I had known for 
months. 

“It was in this way that she once drove me 
from my old home, father,” I said. “But it can't 
be such a bad world, after all. For, if the wicked 
sometimes appear to triumph, they are usually 
punished in the end, and now that Mrs. Ranck 
has passed out of our lives we ought to be very 
happy again.” 

“We will be, Sam!” returned my father* 
earnestly, as he affectionately pressed my hand. 

“Hooray!” yelled Uncle Naboth. 


269 


CHAPTER XX. 


STEELE, PERKINS AND STEELE. 

Captain Steele was extremely grateful to 
Uncle Naboth for his care of me, and was de¬ 
lighted by the relation of our adventures on the 
golden island, as well as pardonably proud of the 
financial success we had attained. 

A new firm was created under the title of 
“Steele, Perkins and Steele,” and a new ship was 
soon found that seemed to have been especially 
constructed to meet our requirements. Captain 
Steele, declaring that his wooden leg would in no 
way interfere with his usefulness, decided to 
command the ship himself, and Ned Britton was 
made first mate. Uncle Naboth and I were ap¬ 
pointed to look after all the finances and attend to 
the trading at the various ports, and Nux and 
Bryonia were brought from San Francisco and 
given posts on the new ship, to their great delight. 

By the advice of his shrewder brother-in-law 
270 



Steele, Perkins & Steele 

my father converted all his accumulated treas¬ 
ures into money, which was safely invested in 
Government bonds that were deposited in a Bos¬ 
ton bank. 

“Whatever happens now.” observed Uncle 
Naboth, “nobody can’t rob you again; and if our 
business ventures proves unsuccessful, and Sam 
and I go bankrupt, you’ve always got something 
to fall back on in your old age.” 

But success seemed to follow in the wake of 
the new firm, and the “Cleopatra,” as our ship 
is named, has made voyage after voyage with 
unvarying good fortune. 


THE END. 


271 


i 



















































































































































































































